Warriors: Volume 1: Hollyleaf's Challenge
by EnlightenShadow
Summary: A cat breaks the code to its core and Hollyleaf is fueled with anger and determination to fix the wrongs of her birth. On the forefront of her mind is the thought that her children can fix the clans, and she awaits the day when they return. For her children, life is about to be filled with grief and death, with no end in sight. (Original story by Stormikat)
1. Prologue

She sat alone in the den as the rain poured outside, anger and hatred burning through each of her veins, running through her blood. Her black pelt helping her hide her two kits, who's tiny bodies cold in the wind of the storms outside. The memory of the night's gathering still fresh in her mind, even though it had been around seven moons since the events.

 _Crowfeather and Leafpool broke the warrior code,_ she thought to herself, wrapping her tail around her cold kits protectively. _This world is cold… Cruel… It disgusts me, but maybe these two can bring the warrior code back to the clans, maybe they can restore the code to its rightful position._ She remembered her brother's yelling at her when she went into the tunnels, her name being shouted by those she didn't know loved her or not.

 _Hollyleaf…_

For Hollyleaf, surviving the tunnel collapse was easy. Being small and fast gave her enough time to move past the tumbling rocks until she got to the main cavern, where the river had still been flowing steadily. Hollyleaf made herself a vow that day, to restore the clans to its warrior code, and not stop until it was done.

Then she fell in love.

But the relationship seemed to have ended, because her mate hadn't come back in days. _He was weak anyways,_ a little voice in Hollyleaf's head told her. _Name them… One day, they will enter the clans for me, and that day isn't too far off. I'll train them in the ways of the code, I'll give them strict guidelines to follow._ Hollyleaf looked at the first kit, a small gray tom with a white forepaw.

"Your name is Dewkit," she whispered into the kits ear. Then Hollyleaf looked at the second kit, a black tom with very faint gray stripes. "You are Darkkit," she whispered to the darker kit. _One day, you'll both make me proud… The warrior code will be restored to the clans, and when it does, I will banish Leafpool and Crowfeather myself. They don't deserve to have kits, and they never have._

Hollyleaf felt sadness well up in her chest. She loved her mother, but the anger in her was too much that Hollyleaf couldn't help but want to kill Leafpool. _I already tried once,_ Hollyleaf thought to herself, remembering the deathberries she tried to force Leafpool to eat. Then she remembered killing Ashfur, the one who would've originally exposed the entire truth the gathering before Hollyleaf did. _Ashfur was useless, the truth was exposed at the right time, the time I exposed it…_

Yet she couldn't help but wonder if it was the right time…

Maybe she never would…

Wrapping her tail around Dewkit and Darkkit, she closed her eyes, hoping the storm would end soon. _My own kits are the storm that will bring the code to its highest within the clans,_ Hollyleaf thought, tightening her hold on her kits. _And I control that storm…_

 _-AN-_

 _I'm actually quite surprised I'm able to do a rewrite for this, and I have Stormikat to thank for that!_

 _I will be posting allegiances soon for this story._

 _-Thank you, Stormikat, for letting me rewrite this. I'm definitely going to have a lot of fun doing this!_


	2. Chapter 1

"Darkkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Darkpaw," Hollyleaf meowed. The black she-cat was sitting upon a low branch, looking down at her two kits. They were outside the den, only about a few fox-lengths away, and the sun was shining down on Dewkit and Darkpaw. Darkpaw gave a nod, excitement flaring in his chest.

For the past six moons, Hollyleaf would teach her kits something new. Most of what she already taught her kits was mostly hunting, which would benefit their survival. "Dewkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Dewpaw," Hollyleaf finished. Dewpaw nodded, and Darkpaw felt a little taller next to his brother. Both Hollyleaf and he knew that Dewpaw was pretty small, but it didn't seem to affect him too much. Darkpaw's paws itched to explore more of the territory, like Hollyleaf had told them she would do. They had never wandered far from their den, as Hollyleaf wanted them to be able to escape to a safe place just in case they were attacked by a fox, badger, or the occasional rogue.

"Dewpaw," Hollyleaf meowed, turning to Darkpaw's brother. "I want you to do a hunting patrol while I show Darkpaw the territory. You know where to get some prey near here." Hollyleaf's green eyes gleamed, looking proudly down at Dewpaw. "Also, remember, queens and elders first, so don't eat. Although there are no elders and I am no longer a queen, don't eat until we get back. Once I finish showing Darkpaw the territory, we'll come back and eat the prey you catch."

Dewpaw let out another nod, still being quiet, and went into the forest. His ears were already prepared for the sounds of prey, and he was already sniffing around for the next piece of fresh-kill for the family. Darkpaw watched Dewpaw leave, the small gray tom disappearing in the undergrowth.

"Let's go, Darkpaw," Hollyleaf meowed, jumping down from the small branch she had sat upon to give the apprentice ceremony. "Time to actually show you the territory." Darkpaw leaped to his paws silently, excited to actually see the entire territory Hollyleaf had claimed. The dark apprentice felt ready to actually explore farther than Hollyleaf had originally permitted him to go.

The black she-cat went into the bushes, and Darkpaw followed contently. They began to jump over fallen logs and go through the forest for what seemed like a long time, until Hollyleaf stopped. Hollyleaf had explained a few moons earlier that it was procedure for her to show Darkpaw and Dewpaw the territory when they became apprentices. Although, later, Dewpaw hadn't seemed to care about Hollyleaf's desire to keep the warrior code that they were being taught.

Darkpaw did, he didn't want to let his own mother down for any reason. He probably wouldn't even care if he found out she killed someone, he would follow, because he wanted to be loyal. Darkpaw stopped behind Hollyleaf, and looked on the ground. A small claw mark was on the ground, and Darkpaw wondered why Hollyleaf would stop at such a simple scratch in the earth.

"See this mark?" Hollyleaf asked Darkpaw, who nodded, feeling a little confused. "This shows the extent of our territory, and any cats who cross these lines and our scent markers will be warned." Hollyleaf's green eyes turned dark for a moment, and Darkpaw watched her unsheathe her claws. "If they don't leave, we protect our territory with everything we have." Darkpaw watched with fascination, and Hollyleaf left a scent marker, showing Darkpaw how to do it. "When we get to the next scratch, leave your own scent marker. The scent will let opposing rogues and loners that this is our territory and not to cross it."

Darkpaw followed his mother again, heading left of the first claw scratch. _She definitely wants to defend this territory,_ Darkpaw thought, and noticed the next claw scratch. Hollyleaf let him do his own scent mark, and when he was done, they kept travelling. Then his mother took a turn towards the center of the territory.

Wondering what she was going to show him this time, Darkpaw followed closely. After a few heart-beats, the two dark cats entered a small clearing. Hollyleaf's green eyes landed on Darkpaw, and he felt as if he was going to be the center of attention for whatever was going to happen next.

Hollyleaf turned her body towards him. "This is where we are going to train you and Dewpaw in battle moves," Hollyleaf meowed. A small, challenging gleam entered her eye, and the wind began to pick up. "I want you to attack me," Hollyleaf smiled, "show me what you got."

 _She's small and fast,_ Darkpaw assessed his situation. If Hollyleaf wanted him to attack her, he wasn't going to attack without knowing what he was getting into first. _I'll have her dodge my first attack and nip her from behind,_ Darkpaw decided.

"I'm waiting," Hollyleaf challenged. Darkpaw leaped forward, and Hollyleaf sidestepped him. _Good,_ Darkpaw thought, turning around and nipping Hollyleaf's hind leg. He could tell Hollyleaf was surprised, and when she turned around, Darkpaw lifted his paw and tripped Hollyleaf. Hollyleaf rolled to get back to her paws, and she quickly rolled Darkpaw onto his back, and she kept her paw at his throat. "You're fast," Hollyleaf meowed, her smile telling Darkpaw that this was definitely a good thing. "That's good, you're going to need to be fast to live in this world." Hollyleaf got off Darkpaw, letting him get up. "But being fast doesn't mean you're necessarily strong," Hollyleaf continued. Darkpaw felt a little disappointed, and Hollyleaf seemed to have noticed. "Don't worry," she smiled towards him. "I'll make you strong one day, and you and Dewpaw will be the strongest warriors."

Hollyleaf turned around, as if she purposefully turned away and she mumbled something that Darkpaw didn't catch. _It's probably nothing,_ Darkpaw thought to himself, letting out a small sigh. _Just follow her orders, it will be best for me and our warrior code that we live by._

Hollyleaf flicked her tail to let Darkpaw know to follow her. He did so, and followed her back to camp. "You're awfully quiet," Hollyleaf commented to Darkpaw. "Something wrong?"

Darkpaw shook his head, and decided to speak. "No, Hollyleaf," he meowed. "You just taught Dewpaw and me that silence can keep us alive." His mother nodded, and Darkpaw felt a little glad she didn't press. It's not like he has problems, it was just that for some reason, he didn't feel comfortable. Shaking the feeling away, he felt his stomach growl with hunger.

His mother glanced at him, then meowed, "We're almost back."

It didn't take long to get back to the den entrance, where Darkpaw noticed a small pile of fresh-kill next to the entrance. Dewpaw was sitting a few fox-lengths away, looking at the pile of prey he had caught, and Darkpaw could hear Dewpaw's stomach growling with hunger. Hollyleaf looked at Dewpaw, then turned to Darkpaw. "You eat first, I'll go talk to Dewpaw real quick and join you to eat."

Darkpaw nodded, and grabbed a piece of prey, and began to eat it. He was about to watch Dewpaw and Hollyleaf's conversation but they had already started to come back towards him, each picking a piece of prey. There was still enough left over for another meal later. _Dewpaw really did do a nice job,_ Darkpaw thought, still eating.

Looking over to Hollyleaf, he realized she was reminiscing in another memory of the clans. This happened quite often, especially lately. He looked over to Dewpaw, who was eating the mouse he caught quickly, trying to satisfy his hunger. _I will be better than Dewpaw at everything,_ Darkpaw thought to himself, silently chuckling. _No doubt, I can be better than my brother…_

Dewpaw at the last of his prey, and buried the bones at the edge of the clearing when Hollyleaf motioned for him to come over. He went over to the black she-cat, wondering what she wanted. "Follow me," Hollyleaf meowed, and Dewpaw nodded. Hollyleaf padded away, and Dewpaw followed, feeling small compared to his mother. _That's because I am,_ Dewpaw thought to himself, feeling a little angry at his small size and build.

Hollyleaf had brought Dewpaw to the training grounds that she had brought Darkpaw earlier. Dewpaw could smell Darkpaw's fresh scent, and realized the two seemed to have fought here. Then Hollyleaf meowed, "Attack me."

Without thinking, Dewpaw launched straight for his first attack. He kept his claws unsheathed, and as Hollyleaf sidestepped him, Dewpaw reached out with his claws, striking Hollyleaf's shoulder. Hollyleaf turned towards Dewpaw, but the only thing she had to do was laugh. Dewpaw had landed in the small stream nearby, and his entire pelt was completely wet now.

Standing, Dewpaw shook his pelt to get most of the water off and he padded out of the small stream, irritated and cold. The wind was still picking up, and it made him colder. Shivering, he looked at Hollyleaf, still feeling proud that he was able to hit Hollyleaf before embarrassingly landing in the water.

"You know," Hollyleaf started, "From where I used to live, a clan called Riverclan had the best swimmers. I'll have to teach you and Darkpaw how to swim at some point."

"But this stream isn't big enough," Dewpaw protested, wondering where else Hollyleaf could teach them how to swim.

"Maybe for Darkpaw," Hollyleaf meowed, making a joke about Dewpaw's small size.

Dewpaw scoffed. "Ha, very funny," he retorted.

Hollyleaf chuckled. "I'm joking, seriously," she meowed, keeping her smile. "There is a river I had to cross just beyond our territory," she explained. "I'll teach you to swim over there." Dewpaw nodded, and looked at Hollyleaf's shoulder, which was bleeding.

"Are you okay?" He asked Hollyleaf. She looked at her shoulder and laughed.

"I'm fine," she purred after a couple heart-beats. "Doesn't hurt too much, Darkpaw didn't even draw blood during our training session." Dewpaw felt a little proud of himself, and then he looked at his white forepaw, and noticed the blood on it from when he scratched Hollyleaf.

 _That's a deep red,_ Dewpaw thought to himself. "Looks kind of like the blood of my prey," he mumbled, and realized he said it out loud.

"What was that?" Hollyleaf asked, looking at Dewpaw.

Putting his paw back down after examining it, Dewpaw looked at Hollyleaf. "Nothing," he replied. "Just speaking to myself." Dewpaw wondered if Hollyleaf did hear him though, as she did have pretty sharp hearing. Dewpaw rarely got away with saying something.

Except all Hollyleaf said was, "Alright, I won't press." She began to pad away. "I'll show you the territory, like I did with Darkpaw."

It didn't take long for Hollyleaf to show Dewpaw the extent of their territory. Dewpaw was confused about the claw marks at first, just like Darkpaw was, but after getting an explanation, it made sense to him now. When Hollyleaf wasn't looking, he'd look at his white paw, lost in thought about what he did to Hollyleaf. When they returned to the den, Hollyleaf grabbed some herbs from their small store and cleaned her wound up.

Dewpaw sat next to Darkpaw at the edge of the clearing, and Hollyleaf sat on the small branch she normally sat on, looking towards the sky which was growing darker and darker as the heart-beats passed. Dewpaw flicked a leaf away with his paw, which was white now that the water had washed it all off from his little fall.

"You actually injured Hollyleaf?" Darkpaw meowed, sounding somewhat surprised and impressed. "I take it training went well for you then," Darkpaw meowed, looking back towards the sky.

"Yeah, I heard you didn't even draw blood," Dewpaw meowed. Darkpaw looked a little embarrassed, and Dewpaw meowed, "It's fine, besides, you're probably going to be better at fighting than I will. I'm small, what could I do?"

Darkpaw then looked at Dewpaw with flaring yellow eyes. "You could do so much!" He protested. "You're small, so you're less of a target for the opponent to hit, and you don't have so much weighing you down. You'll be fast and deadly!" Dewpaw sighed, and decided to ignore Darkpaw. His heart told him it was bad to draw blood from a cat he knew, one he loved, unless it was necessary.

Dewpaw was the first to go into the den and into his own nest to sleep for the night. But sleep didn't come easily, and Dewpaw didn't fall asleep until Hollyleaf and Darkpaw came in for the night. The moon was already high in the sky, and Dewpaw's dreams were filled with a horrific feeling. One of dread, guilt, pain, and Dewpaw awoke in the middle of the night with fear gripping at him.

An image in his mind stood out among his dreams. A gray tom floating away in a river towards a large body of water, blood loosely trailing behind him.

And a question entered Dewpaw's mind.

 _Am I going to kill?_

 _-AN-_

 _Don't forget to comment/review!_

 _Also, this will probably be the shortest chapter in this story, as I like to keep each chapter above 2700 words and I didn't make that goal like I wanted to, but every story has its short chapters, right?_


	3. Chapter 2

Dewpaw sat in the den with Hollyleaf and Darkpaw, each were eating their prey for the morning. Hollyleaf had already explained earlier that she was going to teach them how to hunt rabbits and catch fish for this days training.

Only two moons had passed since Dewpaw became an apprentice along with his brother Darkpaw. Yet the back of his mind told him he wasn't part of a clan, which he never would be in his life. It was only him, his brother, and his mother. That wasn't a clan, this is a family that should save itself the trouble of the past and look to the future.

Dewpaw ate the last of his mouse, and looked at his family. Darkpaw seemed a little off, but that was pretty normal lately. Dewpaw had already asked his brother if anything was wrong, but his reply was that he was fine. Although he didn't believe his brother, Dewpaw dropped the subject, at least to respect his own brother.

"You both ready to hunt?" Hollyleaf asked, looking at Dewpaw and then shifting her green gaze over to Darkpaw. Dewpaw nodded, standing up, while Darkpaw stood as well, flicking his tail in enthusiasm. "Since it's raining today," Hollyleaf started, "I thought it might be nice to take you guys and teach you how to hunt fish."

Dewpaw moaned for a moment. _I hate water…_ Flicking his tail in annoyance, he followed Hollyleaf out into the rain, Darkpaw right behind him. Dewpaw followed, and felt the silence affecting the three cats himself. It felt tense, dangerous, and Dewpaw was reluctant on asking any questions as they travelled silently through the dense undergrowth.

He was wet, and Dewpaw could feel his pelt begin to weigh him down. It actually became an effort to keep following Hollyleaf, even past the scent marks that marked the edge of their territory, which wasn't that far, considering they didn't need much territory to support themselves.

By midday, the rain was only getting worse, and Dewpaw looked over to Hollyleaf. Her pure black, long-furred pelt was sagging down, and she looked really small compared to how she was before. Dewpaw then looked over to his brother, and noticed that Darkpaw's faint stripes were a little more noticeable in the rain.

It didn't take much longer for the family to reach the stream, Hollyleaf first, and on both sides came the two sons. A raging river was moving at an insane speed, and Dewpaw shivered. _Teaching us how to fish! More like trying to drown us all…_ Dewpaw thought miserably, then sat down a few tail-lengths from the river to catch his breath from the long walk.

Hollyleaf let out a grunt. "If the rain didn't get worse while we were walking here, the river would've been perfect to catch fish," she meowed, then sat, letting out a sigh. "Looks like we'll have to head back, this trip was for nothing if none of us can fish without getting caught in the current."

"Wait," Darkpaw stopped Hollyleaf before she could get up to head back. "We got this far, we should take it a step farther. I think we can learn to swim instead of catching fish." Darkpaw's yellow eyes were glittered with excitement, and Dewpaw just wanted him to shut up. _Water is water, we drink it, we hunt from it, but we don't swim in it for fun!_ _Is he trying to drown us all?_ Dewpaw looked at his brother, fear clutching his heart.

"Darkpaw," Hollyleaf sighed. "We can't swim in a raging river. We'd all drown before we got even halfway across. We'll try again tomorrow, for now, when we get back, I want you and Dewpaw to start hunting. We'll need more prey." Hollyleaf walked back through the undergrowth and Darkpaw watched her leave with what seemed like disappointment.

Dewpaw padded next to Darkpaw on the way back. "Why did you want to swim in that river?" Dewpaw asked, curious as to why Darkpaw would risk his life just to go for a swim.

"I think we could do it," Darkpaw meowed. "If you set your mind to something, you can always do it." Darkpaw went to pad on ahead of Dewpaw, but Dewpaw stopped him with his tail, placing it on Darkpaw's shoulder.

"So, you're telling me, that if I want to fly, I can fly?" Dewpaw retorted. "I doubt it, we're cats, not birds. Setting your mind to something doesn't mean you'll be able to do it. It just means you're willing to test something, and I don't think Hollyleaf wants to lose you to a river." In Dewpaw's mind, he secretly was thankful that they didn't have to swim or learn to catch fish yet. Darkpaw sighed, and Dewpaw put his tail on his brother's shoulder. "Don't worry about it," he meowed. "We'll probably go tomorrow or after tomorrow. The river is bound to be slightly lower soon, this rain can't last forever."

"I guess you're right," Darkpaw sighed. "Guess I'm getting a little ahead of myself…"

They continued to walk by each other's sides, ready for anything that came their way. Yet, like normal, there was nothing on the way back to the den.

Dewpaw was the first inside, excited to finally be out of the rain and in the warmth of his nest. Hollyleaf chuckled at his excitement, meowing, "You know, this is only delaying the inevitable." Dewpaw gave a snort and curled up, hoping his pelt would dry soon.

"How can you stand being wet?" Dewpaw asked, chuckling. "You have the thickest fur, it should weigh you down… A lot."

Hollyleaf smiled. "You're right, it does, but I've conditioned myself to be able to move at a normal pace without being weighed down by a wet pelt." Hollyleaf sat in her nest and began to groom herself, then she meowed, "Maybe tomorrow you can both go swimming. For now, just rest. I'll go hunt for us." Hollyleaf padded out of the den into the loud rain outside, and Dewpaw heard the loud crack of thunder in the skies.

Sitting up, Dewpaw looked at Darkpaw, still feeling damp and wet from outside. "Are you alright, Darkpaw?" Dewpaw asked, feeling a little worried for his brother.

"Fine. I'm fine," Darkpaw sighed, looking away from Dewpaw.

Flicking his tail in annoyance, Dewpaw just meowed, "You can't lie to your own brother. I know everything about you, so you might as well tell me." This normally never worked, but this time, Darkpaw didn't seem to argue against his brother.

"Ever think Hollyleaf speaks _too much_ of the clans?" Darkpaw asked Dewpaw, and Dewpaw felt a little surprised. They had never really brought up that Hollyleaf speaks of the clans a lot.

Narrowing his eyes, Dewpaw asked, "Why do you ask?"

Darkpaw shrugged. "I don't know, I feel like Hollyleaf misses the clans herself, like she wants to go back. But she won't," Darkpaw meowed. "At least, not yet," Darkpaw finished, his last words sounding very dark, and Dewpaw began to question his brothers sanity. _I do admit, Hollyleaf does talk about the clans a lot, and it does get very annoying,_ Dewpaw thought. _But she's our mother, and she has to be right when she says that the clans have destroyed the warrior code themselves, right?_

Dewpaw didn't know the answer to his own question, and began to doubt Hollyleaf, but he shook his head. "Look, she'll send us to restore the code, and that's what we'll do," Dewpaw replied. "Then she can come back, and we'll be fine. Everything will be perfect!" Darkpaw just shrugged, and curled up, his pelt was still wet from what Dewpaw could tell.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to curl up, Dewpaw sat and waited for a while. Hollyleaf still hadn't returned, and Dewpaw was itching to do something. Padding over to Darkpaw, he meowed, "I'll be back soon, if Hollyleaf returns, just tell her I went out." Darkpaw, still awake, just grunted in acknowledgement, and turned around to face away from Dewpaw.

Padding out of the den, Dewpaw realized the heavy rain had become more of a light mist, a few huge drops from the sky here and there. Continuing forward, Dewpaw padded through the forest, enjoying its leafy scents and the warm prey wafted up into his nose. Still not feeling hungry, he continued past all the prey, alerting a blackbird and letting it screech in response. Dewpaw watched the blackbird fly away, and then continued into a small clearing, one he liked to sit in when he wanted to think.

A large puddle formed in the center of the small clearing, and Dewpaw padded towards it, a little angry that he couldn't sit in the center like he wanted. Dewpaw looked into the puddle of water, and concentrated on his reflection. He sat and waited, actually enjoying watching the little ripples in the water as he went through the day's thoughts.

Then the outer edge of his vision turned red, and Dewpaw tried to move, but found his paws rooted to the spot. Looking up, he realized he wasn't by a puddle, but a river. The river ran a cold red, and he looked down the stream of water, only to see the gray cat he saw in one of his dreams. Dewpaw could see more this time. Before him was a lake, the body of the cat floating down the river and towards the sucking current of the blue water.

But the lake itself was red as well, and the sky seemed to turn dark for Dewpaw. Looking down, he realized both his paws were black, and he blinked, wondering what it could mean.

Then the vision ended, and his paws were back to being gray and white. Looking around, Dewpaw realized there was nothing red around him, and he let out a quiet sigh. _What was that?_ He asked himself. Dewpaw looked at the puddle again, and instead of thinking about Hollyleaf and her obsession, he began to think about the vivid nightmare he just witnessed.

 _Black paws… Red blood… A gray cat caught in them both,_ Dewpaw thought. _The only cat I know who has black paws is Darkpaw and Hollyleaf…_ _I don't think Hollyleaf has the will to murder someone, and this could also be a vision of the future, maybe its Darkpaw…_ Dewpaw shook his head. _No, it's just some reoccurring dream of some sort that won't go away._ Dewpaw looked back into the puddle for a little while longer, staring at his reflection, before turning around and heading home.

By the time Dewpaw had gotten back, Hollyleaf was sitting outside the den, her pure green eyes rested on Dewpaw, and it seemed Hollyleaf had finally calmed down. Dewpaw padded up to her, and she sounded furious.

"Where have you been!?" Hollyleaf growled, but she licked between Dewpaw's ears, showing her affection for her son.

"Just where I normally go," Dewpaw replied, moving away from Hollyleaf's lick. "I told Darkpaw to tell you when you got back." Darkpaw then appeared from the den, yawning, and he sat down.

"What's going on?" he asked when he realized that Dewpaw was glaring at him. Then he looked at Hollyleaf, and then he looked as if he was under pressure. "Oh yeah… I forgot to mention he left for a little while, and to tell you he left…" Darkpaw let out a slight, awkward chuckle, and Hollyleaf just let out a low grunt before going back into the den. Darkpaw sighed, and looked over to Dewpaw. "Sorry I didn't tell her," he apologized, but Dewpaw wasn't furious at him anymore.

Dewpaw licked his forepaw thoughtfully, then looked back towards Darkpaw. "It's fine, I probably shouldn't have tried telling you to tell Hollyleaf something while you were sleeping," Dewpaw meowed. He padded back into the den, and noticed Hollyleaf was covering up a wound with some herbs. "Something wrong?" Dewpaw asked, padding over to his nest.

Hollyleaf nodded. "I was attacked by a rogue. That piece of fox-dung was a brute, but I managed to rip his shoulder." Hollyleaf let out a little chuckle. "He's probably running back to his mother with his tail between his legs!"

Dewpaw didn't move, and began to wonder about Hollyleaf's sanity. _She's taking this like it's a joke, is she trying to be serious? I would be serious if I was bleeding from an open wound…_ Dewpaw shook his head again. _Hollyleaf isn't insane! It's perfectly normal to laugh about a battle afterwards, right?_ Dewpaw didn't know any of the answers, and he knew that the more answers he collected, the more questions he would have.

It was just nature.

"Anyways," Hollyleaf continued, looking at Dewpaw, and Dewpaw noticed the red blood down her arm. "Are you up for some swimming tomorrow? I know you don't like water." Hollyleaf seemed very sincere, and her bright green eyes looked a little dim. "You sure you can handle it?"

Dewpaw nodded. "Yeah, I can handle it. I'll hate it, sure, but if I don't learn, well… It could mean I might not be able to save a few lives from drowning. It's better to have the skill and not have to use it than not know the skill and be in a situation that calls for it." Hollyleaf nodded, and slightly smiled.

"Dewpaw," Hollyleaf meowed, padding over to her nest. Dewpaw watched her, and as she sat down, she continued. "You have a brilliant mind, one that would be put to great use helping restore the code to the clans. You know that you'll have to learn to be fast to join Windclan, silent and sneaky to join Shadowclan, strong and fierce in combat to join Thunderclan, and you must be able to swim to join Riverclan." Hollyleaf smiled. "You'll also have to protect your brother. He's getting more reckless, and I fear it may be his downfall. You'll be there to help him, I'm sure."

Nodding, Dewpaw curled up in his nest and closed his eyes. He wondered if he would get another dream like before, or maybe more information on his vision, the one of the dead cat in the water. _I wonder if I'll have to help a cat like that one day,_ Dewpaw wondered. _Maybe from somebody who tried to murder them? Or maybe it was a hunting accident of some sort?_ Dewpaw slightly shook his head. _No, if it was a hunting accident, the cat would've gone to help the bloodied one. What I saw was pure murder…_

It took a long time before Dewpaw decided to not sleep. Sitting up, he silently padded out of the den, leaving Hollyleaf to sleep, and noticed that it was about sunset now, as the sun was casting orange glows across the entire sky. Outside, Dewpaw noticed that Darkpaw was missing, without any warning, and Dewpaw began to feel worried.

Picking up Darkpaw's scent, he began to follow it, and realized it was still fresh. _He didn't leave that long ago,_ Dewpaw thought, continuing to follow the scent of his brother. Then it stopped, next to a tree, and Dewpaw realized where Darkpaw was. Looking up, he saw Darkpaw high in the tree, looking out towards the sunset with a smile. _That's the first real smile I've seen Darkpaw had in a while,_ Dewpaw thought, and began to climb the tree.

At first, he had trouble climbing due to his small size. Dewpaw had to take a couple good leaps to reach the next highest branch, and when he looked up, he realized Darkpaw was looking down at him, like he always did. Not caring, Dewpaw continued to climb until he was next to his brother. "What're you doing up here?" Darkpaw asked as Dewpaw sat on the branch and looked towards the horizon.

"I could ask the same of you," Dewpaw replied. "When I got here, I saw you smile, and that's something I haven't seen in a while. Normally, you seem depressed about something or another."

Darkpaw sighed. "I just have the feeling that Hollyleaf looks to you more than she does to me," he replied, his voice soft and distant. "I feel alone."

Dewpaw felt a little bad for his brother, and realized that in some way, Darkpaw was right. Hollyleaf did speak to Dewpaw more than she spoke to Darkpaw about anything, and Dewpaw had rarely heard Hollyleaf give Darkpaw praise for something. "I'm sure it's alright," Dewpaw meowed. "Besides, you are definitely not alone, you have me. I'm your brother, and nothing is going to change that." Darkpaw let out a chuckle. "Now, we should probably head back before Hollyleaf starts to worry again, and this time not about just one of us!"

Darkpaw nodded, but Dewpaw couldn't help but think that his brother wasn't giving him all the information. _He's my brother, of course he won't tell me everything,_ Dewpaw thought. _But what about that vision? Could Darkpaw do something horrible?_

 _-AN-_

 _Sorry for not having a good chapter for the last week, I'm still under anxiety and stress, and writing doesn't help much. I have been forcing myself to write at least something every day, let it be a paragraph or something to contribute to this story._

 _I have also been trying to make new friends in my online world, so I've been somewhat busy with that. I do have a few online friends, but I like to have as many as possible!_

 _Anyways, don't forget to comment/review and favorite this story to keep reading!_

 _Hope you like this, Stormikat! I'm really trying hard!_


	4. Chapter 3

The assignment was simple. Darkpaw felt his crowded thoughts begin to affect his skills, however. A nagging sensation that continued to claw at his pelt and bite. Being followed was something Darkpaw hated above almost all else, and someone was. The black pelt couldn't hide beneath the bushes, and only the green eyes blended in.

Darkpaw knew nothing he could do would be good enough, it was upsetting however that his mother was sticking around him during his assignment rather than Dewpaw.

 _Relax,_ Darkpaw took a deep breath as his bright gaze caught a rabbit in the center of a small and grassy meadow. One of the few spread around this forest that his mother had named _Tanglewood._ It was a fitting name, getting lost was as easy as taking three steps in the wrong direction. Darkpaw had gotten lost more than once. Even Dewpaw has. Darkpaw remembered making fun of Dewpaw for it, but soon after, his brother had gotten back at him by pushing Darkpaw directly into a stream of water.

 _Just stop following me…_ Darkpaw kept his gaze forward, knowing he couldn't glance in Hollyleaf's direction, even if he knew she was there. _I guess she will stay until I do get this assignment done… Just catch four pieces of prey for tonight, stock up on the food stores we have… Simple._

Swiftly and silently, he dashed forward and went around the rabbit, its ears perking up as if it had heard something. It remained still for several heart-beats, Darkpaw feeling his impatience catching up with him. He wanted this done, to learn what Hollyleaf had planned for them. Moons had passed since their last real lesson, the rain and snow hindering most of their progress. Dewpaw's very small size didn't help with the snow, he being buried beneath the snow during most of their hunts.

Darkpaw's pelt was also too dark for the snow, half of his hunting involving chasing after the prey. Most disappeared and burrowed under, then Darkpaw getting scolded by Hollyleaf. She had always seemed on edge, every moment of every day, like she had been waiting for something.

Taking a slow and deep breath, Darkpaw got himself under control and focused on his prey. Nothing more than the stupid rabbit versus the smart cat standing several tail-lengths away, remaining hidden within the darkest of the shadows. His black pelt blended in perfectly. Nothing could stop him now, and he pounced up and forward, teeth sinking into the neck of the small creature. No struggle. No sound.

There was the quietest rustle of the bushes, and when Darkpaw looked over, the black pelt and bright green eyes that had once watched him had disappeared. His task was complete, he felt, and decided it may have been best to return home. Digging up each piece of prey he had caught, he slowly and silently returned. Once he had piled up his catch, Darkpaw sat at the opening of their little home, looking inside and sighing a bit. The place was soon going to be too small for all of them, and Dewpaw was still growing… at least, Darkpaw hoped he was. As much as making fun of his smaller brother was fun, it'd be nice not to have to look down every time he stood on all four paws.

Jumping up into the first tree at the edge of the clearing to their home, Darkpaw began to climb higher and higher. He liked the breeze against his fur, there was nothing he enjoyed doing in what little free time he had more than that. If only Dewpaw was here…

 _He isn't,_ he thought to himself.

 _You must restore the code of the clans, Darkpaw…_

In the silence, his mother's voice began to work its way under his fur, making the fur along his spine stand up. A growl arose in his throat, he looking up at the sun, far into the distance. Not much longer until it would set, Darkpaw not wanting to think about his own mother's agenda.

"Why do I have to?" he meowed to himself, tail slowly flicking from side to side. "So long have they lived with this code of theirs, I wasn't born into it-" Darkpaw looked at the trunk of the tree, having thought he had seen movement. Nothing but the sounds of a couple chirps of birds singing in the far distance. "It isn't my business… I don't want to be a part of them, I live here, don't I…?"

Now it felt like he was beginning to beg, to fall this far into the depths of his own mind as he looked down. The growl continued to rise until he felt like he was hissing at nothing but the sky. "It isn't my business! Why should I have to fix this disaster?"

Only the sound of silence greeted him, and Darkpaw relaxed, jumping down and had begun to wait for Dewpaw and Hollyleaf to return. It hadn't taken too long either, Dewpaw appearing first. The twitch of his whiskers and the purr he gave suggested his hunt went well, and Darkpaw lowered his head a bit. A small piece of his heart felt detached from the family he had, they had begun ignoring him.

Hollyleaf had given praise to Dewpaw, but Darkpaw hadn't gotten praise in a couple moons. Rarely he got the occasional purr. That would end soon after, and in Hollyleaf's eyes would be that of someone else. A change had occurred that Darkpaw couldn't pinpoint to something specific.

"You'll soon both be ready to be warriors, there isn't much left for you both to learn," Hollyleaf meowed, interrupting the thoughts of Darkpaw. He looked over towards her, his body having been slightly larger than her own. Barely giving a nod, Darkpaw's ear flicked as Dewpaw purred again. "Both of you get some rest, I'll be out doing a few things and getting prepared for your final test."

With the last few words, Darkpaw watched as Dewpaw bolted into the small den they had, almost as if his energy had never left him. "Alright," Darkpaw slowly replied, following after Dewpaw, not half as fast as the smaller cat.

Padding towards his moss bedding, Darkpaw slowly sat down and groomed his paw. Dewpaw sat across from him, maybe two tail-lengths away, sitting in his own bedding. It was odd to see Dewpaw this happy.

"What's with you?" Dewpaw tilted his head, an ear and his whiskers twitching in the soft light seeping in from outside. "You look off again, this isn't about Hollyleaf and I, is it?"

"Not exactly…" Darkpaw replied, not entirely lying straight to Dewpaw's face. Lying to his brother felt wrong, and it was true, it wasn't entirely a lie that he had given to the small gray cat. "I just think it would be best if we don't…" His words freezed up in his throat, harder than ice, frigid.

During that moment, Dewpaw didn't speak, as if awaiting an answer. Darkpaw didn't know how to answer the question, and now he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Unless he wanted to seem rude, he didn't have an answer to how to leave this conversation with how he stopped himself.

"You can tell me anything," Dewpaw spoke again, sitting up a bit more. It made little difference to his height. "I am your brother, your sibling, a part of your litter. Don't just ignore me like that, you know I would tell you anything."

 _I somehow doubt that is true, you look at me oddly,_ Darkpaw thought, remembering how for the longest time, Dewpaw seemingly just ignored him or glanced in his direction before looking away. _I feel like you're judging me for something I did, but I don't know what it is… what did I do to you…?_

"It's nothing important," Darkpaw meowed quietly, looking down at his paws. _Bad move, he knows that something is up…_ Looking back up quickly, he realized every movement he was making had probably made him seem upset. He didn't want Dewpaw to pester him about this, there was nothing he wanted to say that would make this situation any better. Before Dewpaw could answer, Darkpaw shifted his paws and looked directly into Dewpaw's eyes. "I have a question…"

 _It's the best I have,_ Darkpaw thought to himself, watching Dewpaw closely for anything. "Go for it," Dewpaw replied, his ears perked towards Darkpaw to listen to him.

"What are your thoughts on the clans?" Darkpaw asked, his tail slowly flicking.

Another quiet pause that made Darkpaw fairly uncomfortable.

"If they don't follow the code, shouldn't it be someone's responsibility to fix it?" Dewpaw replied, his gaze fixated on Darkpaw. "Hollyleaf is probably right, we should trust her. The code gets broken many times, from what she has said, and I feel with her passion about it, that she is right. We can fix it, Darkpaw, how hard could it really be anyways…?"

"Depends… how many are in each clan? Not all of them break the code, but from what Hollyleaf has said, Thunderclan is the worst." Darkpaw responded as he turned his gaze to Hollyleaf's moss bedding. _And what if she's wrong…? What if she is just using us? She taught us to see every side, but never mentioned their side. And Starclan… Who are they? Hollyleaf rarely mentions them, but she says that those who make it there are the worst. They have sins untold of, many that should send them to the Dark Forest. Right…?_ Darkpaw shook his head slowly.

Dewpaw's voice sliced his thoughts apart. "That is true, Hollyleaf said there are many."

"I don't think it is our problem," Darkpaw finally released his true thoughts. "The clans aren't our problem to solve, we can't fix their code, just like we can't fix the way the river flows when it destroys the undergrowth during the early moons after leaf-bare. It heals itself, I think the clans would heal themselves after some time." Darkpaw's yellow gaze glanced back at Dewpaw, who seemed to be taller now, Dewpaw's own green eyes lit up with the surprise of a thousand more pairs of eyes.

His voice slowly left him. "Darkpaw… What if they never find their way? What if they die, thinking they've done the right thing but nothing ever heals?" Darkpaw clawed gently at his bedding in irritation.

"It isn't our problem, it is between mother and them. Not us. I think we are a medium, not a solution." A feeling of dread washed over Darkpaw. "Forget it, when we get there, we shall see how these clans are. If they're fine, I will leave, but you can stay there. It doesn't matter to me how you _fix_ them, I don't want to be a part of it."

He watched as Dewpaw flinched from the sudden outburst, Darkpaw standing on all four paws and padding out without another word. His fur was fluffed up, on end, yellow-golden eyes blazing with fury. Sitting out in the moonlight, Darkpaw took a few deep breaths, unable to understand just why Hollyleaf wanted _them_ to restore order.

"Darkpaw…"

Dewpaw's voice made Darkpaw jump and he turned around, glaring at Dewpaw.

"Hey, it's just me," Dewpaw meowed quietly, seeming timid. "I think we should go, Darkpaw… Help them… If Hollyleaf is right, wouldn't you want to be known for helping others find the right path over completely ignoring them and living alone?" The words echoed in Darkpaw's mind as he sat there now, looking down at his black paws against the dirt. Dewpaw was right, Darkpaw didn't want to live just alone. And better to be known for being helpful over anything else.

Taking a deep breath, Darkpaw meowed slowly. "Alright, alright… Just don't look at me like that…" He looked up at Dewpaw, whose green eyes glittered in the coming moonlight. Strolling back into the den, Darkpaw laid down and closed his eyes, not wanting to speak and too tired to argue any further in a matter he fully agreed with.

Even if a small part of him still went against this idea.


	5. Chapter 4

Dewpaw sat along the river, staring once more down into the depths of the darkest of the black water. It wasn't dirty, but the light cast upon it didn't make it look too bright and cheerful. The current season was almost over, and the days were only getting warmer and warmer. It reminded Dewpaw of playing in the clearing with Darkpaw out in front of the den, before Hollyleaf wanted to make them warriors.

"Seems like such a long time ago…" Dewpaw meowed to himself, hard to imagine the moons that had passed since the days of innocence. Visions continuously haunted him, everywhere he looked felt more and more like a sign. The endless shade and darkness of the river was just a beginning to a front that Dewpaw could never think as possible.

What little light the tiny clearing Dewpaw was currently in had soon disappeared, the bright yellow sun hiding behind the tangle of trees and branches. Had there been just a little light, Dewpaw would feel safer. Safety was of no concern anymore, the forest was rising up against Dewpaw and forcing his thoughts to take a turn for the darkness. Movement had travelled throughout the forest, whispering thoughts of evil within Dewpaw's ears, every morsel of prey carrying information and relaying it that a cat was nearby. An instinct Dewpaw had long learned was important, to sense anything dangerous. The dark itself wasn't dangerous, it was what lied behind every shadow that could be a potential threat.

 _Just shove the thoughts away… It isn't important…_ Dewpaw thought to himself, trying to concern himself more with the flow of the water rather than the darkness surrounding him. Hard to do - especially when the water was darker than night currently.

"Does Starclan really exist…?" Dewpaw whispered to himself as he finally brought his dull green eyes to the sky. "And if they do, are they the ones showing me these visions…? The running blood…? Black paws under cover of night…? Why must I see them…?" Dewpaw had many questions, but just as every fantasy tale his mother had told him, they only had questions. They would never be answered until very late in his own story, and Dewpaw suspected nothing more. Nothing less. "I would hope so…" Dewpaw looked back down again, knowing the stars wouldn't appear until later into the night. Dabbing a paw into the water, he watched the faintest ripple rush downstream.

There was no cloud cover, and the evening was warm, soft and faint light finally reaching through an opening in the trees. It bathed Dewpaw in warm light that he felt relieved to finally feel, rather than the sudden and deep cold of the clawing darkness… No, it wasn't even clawing, it was a blanket that felt safe until the cold settled into your spine and started to freeze you in place. It took over with ferocity, not warmth.

However much had happened these past moons, Dewpaw knew his goal. To see to that the clans would be restored to the code that had been taught to them since the beginning of time. A code that Dewpaw had memorized from beginning to end, and a small part of himself wondered if his version of the code would be the right one.

In Dewpaw's mind, any small part of the code was in many ways, up to interpretation. If that was so, then he could possibly be accepted into any of the four clans.

Looking up at the sky, he remembered how Hollyleaf had told them the stories of Thunderclan. Battles that seemed impossible that had taken place, to the leaders of the past and the current and most present leader. Firestar. Known to be a bright orange cat with green eyes that complimented every part of his pelt. Even the sun reflected off of him with a bright glow on the best of days, making him look similar to a godlike being.

Onestar was said to be a brown tabby, although Hollyleaf encountered him on few occasions so she hadn't said much about the leader of the clan of wind. The clan of shadow was a different story to Hollyleaf, she had grown up believing that Shadowclan almost always had some sort of evil set up in their hearts. Not all of them could be considered such, but Hollyleaf had an unsettling voice whenever she spoke of Blackstar, the leader. One that Dewpaw never really questioned, nor did he understand.

The final leader was Leopardstar, part of Riverclan with an unusually spotted golden coat. She was probably the hardest leader to imagine, and Dewpaw stopped trying long ago. He had learned that Riverclan probably had one of the most dangerous but the most safe territories of the clans. Water protected them on both borders, but if it rained far too much, they could possibly get flooded.

Dewpaw's fear of swimming struck Riverclan as the last clan he would go to. Even after a long training session of swimming, Dewpaw hated the water and only swam for heartbeats. His brother had to save him, and Dewpaw regretted swimming in this river. Every part of his body wanted to jump away from it, but the mesmerizing curves of the flowing water kept his gaze on it without his realizing. No conscious part of him received this idea as truth, it was merely nothing more than a dream sequence without being disturbed.

His fur began to crawl with the thought of being watched, but Dewpaw still couldn't look away from the water. Every frame in his vision was replaced by that of thick blood and black paws, making him shudder at the thought of the smell of a cat's blood. To have it stick to his paws, turn them bright red and to see nothing but a demon figure in his own body. In the reflection of the pool of blood before him, he couldn't figure out who he was supposed to be, the body he had transformed into. Just a pitch black color in ruby red crystals.

As if from a falling dream, Dewpaw jolted back and was now up on all four paws, breathing heavily as he looked up into the sky, finally breaking the spell of the river. Tanglewood remained surrounding him, but now he felt a refreshing and heavy wind blowing downriver. Clouds had begun to surround the sky, Dewpaw sniffing at the air and finding nothing of importance.

Turning around, he glanced around, Dewpaw's eyes dark in the coming shade covering the river and himself. His eyes didn't glow as much as his own brother's, not in the dark.

With a slow and deep breath, he began to take a walk back to the den, having figured he has been gone long enough. A slow and thick fog began to roll in, surprising Dewpaw with the speed and efficiency. Almost as if someone was now hunting him within the fresh fog. A blanket cover for something more.

Dewpaw felt himself become slower, a sudden cold shiver running along his spine as the feeling of the air became that of leaf-bare. The sharp air was filled with the scent of hundreds or thousands of cats, fur brushing past him but nothing visible around him. Dewpaw felt terror rise in his throat.

 _No… What is this…?_ Dewpaw thought, his paws barely managing forward steps as the whispers began to fill his head. He couldn't hear them properly, as if thousands of souls were crying out at once for help…

… then they died…

A wave of immense sorrow washed through Dewpaw, just as quickly as the flow of the river behind him. What hurt more than anything now wasn't the sorrow but the terror from before, having reached its way back around and gripped Dewpaw by the throat. Breathing became a hassle, a chore that Dewpaw didn't expect to have ripped away his energy.

In an endless feeling of falling, Dewpaw landed flat on his chin and whimpered slightly, dull pain coursing through his neck and jaw. Trying to breathe, he now found it much easier and stood back on his paws, looking around himself. No longer were the haunting touches and voices pawing and gripping his body, but he knew it wouldn't be the last time that it would happen. Only a sense of deja vu remained.

Shaking his head, he cleared it of any of those thoughts. The burden of restoring the clans was his, and he would do so on his own terms. Darkpaw remained behind in Dewpaw's thoughts, he didn't want to do this without his brother. They were sleeping in the same den for moons, and rather soon, they'd be split apart from each other. Unless they joined the same clan, but Dewpaw could tell that Darkpaw wasn't going to enjoy being around the clans. Even the slightest mention of the clans sent Darkpaw on edge, even after his talk with his brother.

"It isn't such a bad thing," Dewpaw meowed quietly to himself with a gentle sigh that didn't disturb a single animal in his vicinity. At his pawsteps, a couple mice ran into the undergrowth, Dewpaw nowhere near hungry enough to catch them or even bother glancing at the moving brush.

The sky had turned bright again, Dewpaw unable to look up currently as he stretched his body. His green gaze watched the grass beneath him, almost still like a predator waiting to strike.

Padding back into the small green meadow (moreover just a patch of grass where the den was), Dewpaw looked around and noticed Darkpaw's scent was fresh. However, Darkpaw wasn't anywhere to be seen and Dewpaw didn't know where his brother had gone off to this time.

 _Probably in the trees again…_ Dewpaw thought to himself as he sat down at the edge of the small clearing, Hollyleaf nowhere within sight. It left the clearing feeling rather quiet, the air still, not a sound emanated from anything but the brushing of Dewpaw's tail across the leaves of the season. Each was purely green, rarely falling onto the fresh grass of the day. The sky had once more been as clear as ever, no fog rolling in to keep Dewpaw on his paws. _Just forget the dreams… They don't matter now…_

Laying down, he began to wait for something, anything to happen at all.

Hollyleaf's black thick pelt appeared much later, as close to night as she possibly could. The rustling of the bushes and her appearance hadn't surprised Dewpaw, her green eyes glowing in the coming moonlight. Her eyes glittered with emotion, something of a smile spreading across her lips as she jumped up onto a low and thick branch. This had been where she had addressed her "apprentices." The competition of low sunlight and bright moonlight scissored the clearing, but the sun was leaving under the horizon quickly, the yellow glow dimming before Hollyleaf finally spoke.

"Gather."

A simple word, loud enough to be heard by many, had there been other cats around to enjoy the pride that was now behind her voice. Dewpaw stood up, his muscles relaxed entirely. He had remained a rather small cat, but he didn't mind. Throughout all the training, Dewpaw found himself doing rather well in both hunting and fighting. His fighting skills were brought out by almost pure speed, but his muscles had helped a lot as well. Condensed muscles against his body provided attacks that struck strong and true. His green eyes were slightly paler than Hollyleaf's own.

From the corner of his gaze, Dewpaw noticed another black pelt enter the small clearing. Darkpaw's own, with few dark gray stripes against his body and his yellow eyes glowing with a sort of serious tone that Dewpaw didn't enjoy.

Dewpaw felt more excited to be here though, he knew how his final test had gone if this was to be true. For a moment, he glanced up at the sky, noticing how stars were slowly appearing across the darker sky. They shined down upon him… upon his brother… upon Hollyleaf…

"We gather beneath the Low Branch to congratulate two apprentices, to make them into warriors," Hollyleaf spoke. Her voice filled the small clearing, making Dewpaw feel far more relaxed. Darkpaw remained as tense as ever. "I, Hollyleaf, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices." A slight pause for breath, but added to the importance of this moment that Dewpaw had to root his paws more into the dirt to keep still. "They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code…"

 _Was that hate I detected in her voice…?_ Dewpaw suddenly found his tail fluffing up for a split moment, the word _noble_ felt like a sarcastic tone. _Starclan… if you're watching this… if you're listening… tell me if I'm right to think that hate was there…_

Hollyleaf wasn't even a leader, and the thought struck Dewpaw with a sort of severity. The duty of bringing the apprentices to their warrior status fell upon the leader of a clan, not a warrior who wasn't any longer a part of her own clan. But this was the best they could get.

 _Will Starclan be angry…?_ Dewpaw thought, the world seeming to slow down around him. _Maybe they can overlook this…?_

Dewpaw had his hopes, he wanted to be the best warrior he could be and to bring back the glory days of the clans. To be able to make the code wonderful and abided to by all cats of the clans. It was the right thing to do.

"... and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Darkpaw." Hollyleaf looked down at the large black cat beside Dewpaw. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

 _It isn't my business._ Dewpaw could imagine Darkpaw turning away now, the yellow eyes seeming to glare at Hollyleaf with an intense emotion. It wasn't hate, but a sort of irritation. There was not denying it, but Darkpaw spoke smoothly.

"I do."

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. No longer are you Darkpaw, but Darkfire." Hollyleaf seemed to flinch, the moment before she gave the name, as she had said the word _Starclan._ Dewpaw took that movement as a notion that she knew she wasn't supposed to be here like this, that she had no right under this sky to give them warrior names.

Darkfire padded up to her as she leaned down from the branch, licking her shoulder.

"Dewpaw," Hollyleaf turned to Dewpaw as she sat up on the branch. Darkfire gave no comment on his warrior name, taking two steps back to let Dewpaw have his moment. The sudden attention made Dewpaw feel self-conscious, his heart racing and pounding against the fur of his chest. "Do you promise to uphold and defend the warrior code and your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Dewpaw tried to reply as smooth as possible, finding it easier than he had originally thought.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Dewpaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Dewstep." She leaned down and Dewpaw stood, padding forward and licking her shoulder softly. Once he pulled away from her, Hollyleaf spoke once more. "Both of you, make me proud. Tonight, you shall sit in silent vigil and watch over our clearing, even if there is no clan for you to watch over. Tomorrow, your journey begins to make a fresh start in the clans. Decide in the morning what clan you'll go to first."

Hollyleaf purred softly, Dewstep wondering if it sounded forced. Laying down and keeping his head up, he looked at his brother, who did the same. He stared directly ahead at a group of bushes, and Dewstep glanced as Hollyleaf disappeared into the den.

It had become unsettlingly quiet, no wind, not a single sound from Darkfire. But they did have to remain in silent vigil, so Dewstep understood the sudden quiet.

Leaning a bit into Darkfire, Dewstep kept a quiet and silent watch over their little clearing...


	6. Chapter 5

The night sky gave way to the brand new morning sun, light beaming down into the little clearing Darkfire had called his home for many a moon. Now, he glared up towards the sky, his yellow eyes dilating to the bright light. Dewstep was breathing softly, not sleeping, but he had been awfully tired. Throughout the night, Dewstep fidgeted and tried not to sleep. Darkfire had taken notice of one point when Dewstep jolted awake, as if sleep had been so close to grasping him entirely. He was tired, but Darkfire was not. Sleep wouldn't come easy, even if he wanted it to. The very idea was in the back of his mind, buried deep as if it must be some well kept and guarded secret.

With the morning sun came the darkest of pelts from the den, Hollyleaf padding out. Her thick fur made her look like a huge cat, but Darkfire knew better. Hollyleaf was very small deep under the thick black forest that was her fur. Darkfire wondered if fleas got lost as easily as cats did in Tanglewood.

"You are both released from the night's vigil," Hollyleaf meowed, her eyes meeting Darkfire. "I want you both to go hunting before we start with this idea about you heading out to the clans. You'll find yourselves with the clans soon, I expect." There was a small smile against her blackened tufts of fur, her eyes glowing with expectation. Excitement.

 _What else lies behind those beautiful glowing eyes?_ Darkfire narrowed his own and nodded a bit. "Alright, then we shall hunt. We won't take long." _I doubt she moved far from the clans, no. She stayed near. We are maybe two days journey away, one at the least. Knowing her and how she thinks, I bet we are even closer, and she stayed hidden away. Hidden. Only by the trees that surround us and the leaves and undergrowth that are so tangled, no cat dared step here without thinking twice._ Hollyleaf seemed to notice Darkfire's narrowed gaze, but he gave her a slight smile.

Even if he didn't truly believe this _warrior code_ needed protecting, Darkfire was still proud of himself for becoming a so-called _warrior_. What had kept him anywhere near this idea of fixing the clans, Darkfire didn't know. Sometimes he pondered this thought, maybe he wanted his mother to finally look at him the way she did Dewstep (currently falling asleep on his paws beside him) or maybe for Dewstep to realize the clans may not need this fixing.

Dewstep had made a wonderful point against Darkfire. If he were to die, he wanted to go down fighting for what was right. Not just for what he believed, but to die at the claws of someone else over growing old and living alone. Darkfire had hundreds upon hundreds of chances to just get up and leave, and it was hard not to sometimes. It was the look that Hollyleaf was giving now that made him want to just go.

 _What goes on in that mind of yours, mother…?_ Darkfire thought for a moment as he stood up on his paws, sore from the lack of movement throughout the entirety of the night. Flexing his claws, he let them cut deep into the dirt and grass. The claws had been long, large. Deadly to any cat smaller than he, maybe even larger.

Turning around, Darkfire padded out into the forest, Dewstep falling in place beside him, though wobbling on his paws for a moment before shaking his head. Now he seemed more awake, and Darkfire preferred his brother not pass out on a simple hunting trip.

When they were far enough away, Darkfire nudged Dewstep in a playful manner, as if trying to tip him over.

"You look ever so tired," Darkfire grinned a bit. "That was probably the longest you've ever stayed up."

Dewstep glanced up at him and for the longest moment, it seemed as if he was registering that Darkfire even spoke. When Dewstep finally said something, his voice cracked a bit. "Well, I'm not getting much sleep lately." There was a quick blink, as if Dewstep didn't mean to say what he had just said.

"Why aren't you sleeping much?" Darkfire asked, head cocking to the side as his tail gave a gentle flick. He didn't like the idea that the small cat next to him wasn't getting any sleep at all, Dewstep could get sick and that was the last thing Darkfire wanted.

"Nothing." The answer was cold and simple, Dewstep looking ahead as if he didn't know Darkfire at all. "It isn't important."

An answer that didn't satisfy Darkfire.

"If it wasn't something important, then you can tell me. What's the worst secret you could possibly have? We live together, for Starclan's sake." Darkfire kept his head tilted but leaned it down so he was more eye-level with Dewstep. "You can tell me anything, brother…"

There was a hesitant pause, long enough to make Darkfire think that Dewstep didn't trust him at all. "I don't think Hollyleaf trusts us…" Dewstep mewed quietly, almost more under his breath than an actual voice that Darkfire could hear. Ear flicking, Darkfire went to speak before Dewstep continued. "It's just… something about her seemed off earlier, like she doesn't expect us to do something or she doesn't trust us. The way her eyes glossed over us with almost emotionless certainty."

 _Probably because of me,_ Darkfire thought to himself as he raised his head back up. "Don't worry about it, she was probably just tired. You and her are alike, you both rarely sleep apparently. Your eyes almost glow the same and you have the habit of picking at your fur like she does. It is constant."

Dewstep looked up at him. "I pick at my fur?"

"Yeah, you do." Darkfire let out a _mrrow_ of laughter, tapping his brother's shoulder with a paw. As he did, there was a loud crack of a twig snapping nearby, Darkfire glancing over. Dewstep seemed more alert now, his ears perked with Darkfire's and they went utterly silent. Crouching down, Darkfire started to sneak towards the source of the sound, they being close to the edge of their territory by now.

The bushes gave way gently as Darkfire hid beneath them, peering out towards the river and noticing a ginger she-cat with small gray patches around her pelt. Her bright eyes looked down into the river, she hadn't seemed to even notice neither Darkfire nor Dewstep nearby, with Darkfire laughing as loud as he had.

"What should we do…?" Dewstep whispered, Darkfire watching the cat closely as she leaped across the river with some large stepping stones to help about halfway across. She was no longer on their territory, but Darkfire watched as she picked up a bird, her purring loud as she disappeared into the undergrowth.

"Nothing now," Darkfire growled a bit, not liking the idea that a rogue had been anywhere within their territory. "If she comes back, we can teach her a proper lesson." His voice had been dark, and Darkfire hadn't noticed that Dewstep had flinched. But even if he had, he wouldn't have cared, she was a rogue on their territory. Trespassing was an offense in Darkfire's mind, and it would be met with force if necessary.

Hunting hadn't taken that long, Darkfire eating what he had caught but finding nothing much else to catch. Upon returning, he heard the sound of voices.

"Get off our land, rogue."

There was a pause as Darkfire jumped up into the lower branches of a tree, glancing below to get a better view of the scene. Dewstep was standing near the river now, the pretty ginger she-cat looked scared for barely a moment, only to see her "attacker" was a cat smaller than normal. She had gotten cocky.

"Why don't you run off to your mother, little one?" she meowed with a bit of amusement hidden within her tone. "You look barely older than a kit." Dewstep growled deeply, his claws unsheathed but he didn't attack, watching the ginger cat.

"I will warn you now," Dewstep took a step forward. "I'm not the only one who lives in this forest, there are others who need the food here, so I think it'd be best for you to leave before you get hurt."

The ginger she-cat shrugged a bit, smiling still. "I think I can take them on if they're all as small as you, little one."

 _I'm sorry, only I can pick on my brother for his size,_ Darkfire wanted to growl, slowly moving towards the end of the branch. Even with his large size, he crept along slowly and steadily enough to not have the branch shift beneath his weight. With that, he watched as the cat shoved past Dewstep, Darkfire slightly irritated that Dewstep hadn't done anything. No, he needed to attack, he had to teach her who was the boss here.

He jumped down and landed directly in front of her, causing the she-cat to jump back several tail-lengths and hiss in surprise. Darkfire was much larger than she was, he growling a bit.

"You didn't hear my brother, did you?" He padded closer, his claws unsheathing to reveal the daggers that could easily kill. "He said for you to get off our territory, _little cat_." Darkfire sneered with the two words and he could see the cat flinch in terror. "My brother may be small, but he is definitely a better fighter than you. You fought back against a warning with words, so let's see where that consequence got you."

"Wait, Darkfire-"

Darkfire didn't wait for his brother and bolted forward, reaching his claws out towards her. The she-cat's ginger face screeched in the same terror, bound in place by the soulless eyes before her. A bright yellow glow until the claws tore down her face, ripping from above her eye and down her muzzle. Blood dripped down into her eye, forcing it closed and her nose turning a bright scarlet and glossy color.

Her other eye slowly closed as tears began to fall, her voice filled with fear. "Please… stop…" The small cats begging did nothing to phase Darkfire, and he watched as her body trembled from pain. Placing a paw on her throat, he leaned down and bit the tip of her ear, tearing it off as she cried again.

"Now you know the consequence of entering this territory," Darkfire growled in her ear, feeling her pelt tremble under him. "Now go, or I won't go so easy next time."

Getting off of her, the she-cat slowly got up and ran, her pelt disappearing in the undergrowth and running along the border. Darkfire's body turned back to Dewstep, whose eyes were widened with his own terror. "Darkfire… you didn't have to do that… she was already terrified!" Dewstep reasoned, but now his gaze was looking at the undergrowth where the she-cat had run off to.

"She had trespassed," Darkfire shot back, growling a bit. "She has now learned to leave us alone, she won't come back here." Tail flicking, Darkfire turned around and began to head back to their little home. "That she-cat now understands what territory is, whether she knows our code or not. This is our land, not hers."

Dewstep padded beside him, his gaze locked on his brother as terror swam behind his green eyes. "She was already terrified! You didn't need to teach her anything!"

Darkfire had no response, he wasn't going to dignify his actions to his little brother. The she-cat would've been easily able to tell there was a line of scent all around this area, he knew she chose to ignore that line. What he had done was to protect them, not sit there and let his brother be bullied around by some random rogue who happened to be walking around.

"You're angry with Hollyleaf, I get it," Dewstep tried to plead. "She is making us leave today, but that doesn't mean you had to take that anger out on some random she-cat within our territory. She had gotten the message the first time you came in, alright?"

"I don't care," Darkfire growled, his head slowly turning towards Dewstep now. "Whatever had happened is now over, let us just tell Hollyleaf what had happened and be on our way. She can deal with what has happened, not you."

Darkfire continued walking, his gaze turning to the sky and he stopped listening to Dewstep. Now, however, the small cat had gone quiet, padding silently with his head down and his tail dragging across the leaves. A small part of Darkfire felt terrible for speaking the way he had to his brother, but it shouldn't have been Dewstep questioning him. There was no point, and had they fought over this more, Darkfire knew he could've pummelled the small cat into the ground.

The thought made Darkfire shudder.

 _Why did I just think like that? I'm supposed to protect him… not kill him…_ Darkfire sighed a bit as he continuously stared into the bright morning sky, a trail of sunlight following them slowly as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky. _Why must I be a part of this family…? I love them to death but… This doesn't feel right, none of it does._

The morning was bitter, no warmth touched Darkfire's pelt as he continued to walk his way through this forest.

Dewstep trailed behind him, slow, unsteady on his paws.


	7. Chapter 6

_What is he now becoming?_ Dewstep thought as he walked beneath the light of the sun, the touch of warm grass against his paws comforting after the cold demonstration of territorial boundaries, presented by none other than the black-pelted cat walking several tail-lengths in front of him. Darkfire's stance was that of someone who believed they were right, standing tall and mighty while the rest cowered beneath them. Dewstep was nowhere near tall enough for such a stance.

It was a stance that made Dewstep question everything he had believed up until now, and for a moment, he remembered his vision. He could no longer remember what color the pelt had been in his vision of black paws and blood, but the cat who had flowed downriver was definitely a lighter color. Ginger could have been such a color, but Dewstep wasn't ruling anything out. Trying to recall the vision was exactly like looking at a reflection in the stream. Blurry, quick.

Very little time had passed when they finally arrived back where Dewstep called his home. Soon, this wouldn't be the case. He would make the clans his home, and he had given in to his first choice. _Windclan is best, I feel, and I can start there. Hollyleaf said I'd be best for there, but if worse comes to worse, it isn't like I can't switch clans, right?_ Dewstep didn't vocalize this, afraid that someone would say something about his thoughts. _Maybe I'll go Thunderclan afterwards… after all, Hollyleaf did say they were one of the worst rule-breakers amongst them._

An idea for another time, maybe, if Windclan didn't work out.

Hollyleaf was sitting in front of the den, looking up after licking her paw and brushing it over her head. She had been waiting patiently for the brothers, it seemed. When her gaze came up, they were cold for a moment, the exact same way that Darkfire's were earlier. In a mere heart-beat, they became warm, proud. A glimmer of starlight across Silverpelt.

"You two boys sure took your time," she meowed with laughter before stretching, her claws extending out. Dewstep had taken note that a couple were still missing, never having grown back. Hollyleaf had never explained what happened with them.

Darkfire spoke before Dewstep could, who had caught up and slowly sat down, unable to speak of the events that Darkfire proceeded to explain.

"There was a she-cat in the forest," Darkfire began. "Dewstep tried to take care of the problem, gave her a few warnings. She didn't heed them, so naturally, I helped." There was a quiet pause, as if the air had suddenly become tense between the three of them. The stench of blood was still on Darkfire's paws, and Hollyleaf finally spoke with a smile.

"Good, I'd prefer the rest of those loners and rogues stay away from this place while you both are gone." Hollyleaf purred and gave Darkfire a gentle nuzzle, brushing their whiskers together.

Dewstep's fur now stood on end, mortified at the reaction from Hollyleaf. She even purred? Dewstep hadn't heard her purr very often but of all occasions, this one was worth that purr? Forcing his body to relax, Dewstep looked up and cracked the smallest smile, the only one he could muster up. "I would to."

Hollyleaf gave Dewstep a small nuzzle as well, not as long as the one she had given Darkfire. "Well, you both should be heading out now. It is about a day's journey to get to the lake, have you both decided where you'll be going?"

"Shadowclan."

The answer sent more shivers down Dewstep's spine, Hollyleaf nodding in approval. Dewstep couldn't imagine his big brother being the small and playful apprentice he once was anymore, now he could imagine the stories Hollyleaf had told of Shadowclan. How they were once the bane of the rest of the clans, attacking others all the time and killing those who entered their territory. Kit stories, ones that she had grown up with.

But the one story that Dewstep couldn't get out of his mind was that of Tigerstar, a big tabby with red eyes and huge claws. Every time he thought about those claws, he would glance at Darkfire's paws and think about how long Darkfire's own claws were. An imagination that ran wild, but now with the blood still coating Darkfire's claws, Dewstep could now imagine them tearing into someone's throat.

What was worse was the idea that Darkfire would be surrounded by those who may still have these beliefs. Blackstar used to know Tigerstar himself, and if Darkfire hung around a leader with that kind of experience, a murderer could hang behind those yellow eyes.

Every passing moment brought a fresh new idea, each one only ending with Darkfire hurting someone in the end. Anyone at all, whether that be Firestar, Hollyleaf, or some random warrior within the clans, it had entered Dewstep's mind without needing much to coax him. Parallels could be drawn between Darkfire and the terrible stories that Hollyleaf had told them once.

"And you, Dewstep?" Hollyleaf asked, she standing before him and breaking his thought process.

Dewstep was glad for a break from the thoughts haunting his mind. "Windclan," he replied. The idea from splitting up from his brother didn't feel right, Dewstep wanted to protect the big cat from himself. To protect others that could be hurt by a slaughterfest of blood and death, reigning over everything else.

"Nice idea to split the two of you up, cover more ground that way," Hollyleaf spoke. A purr arose in her throat. "I'm proud of the both of you. You're both very strong and fast, and your knowledge of the warrior code will bring peace to the clans. Whether they know it or not, you will heal them… I believe in the both of you."

The coldness, the icey look in Hollyleaf's eyes had returned, Dewstep nodding very lightly and trying to smile. Every instinct told him not to, but he would, he wasn't going to let his mother see the last of him with a frown or an upsetting look. This may be the last time they saw each other, Hollyleaf was getting older and it wouldn't take many more seasons for her to be too old to defend herself. In that case, she would probably pass away at the teeth of a badger or the claws of another cat over a dispute.

In which case, Dewstep would mourn her as he should. Hollyleaf had never treated them terribly, she was the best mother Dewstep could possibly imagine. No other cat could have done better to raise the two of them than anyone else. The small black cat with the fur of black clouds was strong to have survived this long out here, to take care of them was a challenge. Especially by her lonesome, once the father had left, Hollyleaf had no one to rely on.

 _That's not true,_ Dewstep argued with himself. _She has Darkfire and I, we both are reliable. After all, she made us into warriors, didn't she?_ The thought kept Dewstep thinking, his thoughts raging through the thousands of possibilities.

"You are both free to go to the clans, then," Hollyleaf mewed as she bowed her head to them. "I trust very much in the both of you, and if anyone can bring the clans to their…" An almost undetectable pause. "... code, I believe it could be you two. Darkfire…" She looked at the larger copy of herself, the cat looking down towards her. "You have strength, something the clans do not have since they disobeyed their own teachings from within. There is much to be learned in the way of the code, and strength needs to be brought to them."

Hollyleaf gave a very small smile, then turned to Dewstep. "You are kind, Dewstep. And although you may be small, you know the code down to the finest detail. You share my interest in turning the clans back on the path, so on this day, let it be known that I sent you out to restore the code."

There was nothing more that needed to be said between them, just the silence that followed felt like enough of a goodbye as Dewstep lowered his head in respect. As much as he may have admired her, the way she spoke wasn't as much as soft as it was… excited, in some sick and twisted sort of way, she seemed excited.

Dewstep slowly turned away, starting to walk out into the depths of Tanglewood. Hollyleaf had once told them that following the sun would lead to the lake, so that is what Dewstep would do. His brother fell in line behind him, Dewstep hearing his voice speak to Hollyleaf. The word "Goodbye" left Darkfire's lips, and Dewstep wondered if there was sorrow behind his voice somewhere. Almost as if Darkfire wasn't planning on returning anytime soon. Or ever, for the matter.

It wasn't very long until they had disappeared from Hollyleaf's sight, Dewstep walking at a brisk pace; somewhat out of fear of the idea that they could somehow be late. But also of the idea that they would never complete the task the way Hollyleaf wanted. Maybe that would never happen, but nevertheless, Dewstep wanted to try his hardest to make the clans into something they should be proud of.

A bright light was now shining down through the leaves of the trees, glaring off their pelts with ferocity reserved for that of lions. Darkfire looked larger, almost like a black panther with his bright yellow eyes (glowing a golden color in the rays of sunlight) and dark paws. The bloodstained paw of Darkfire's no longer remained anywhere close to red, as if the dirt had dried it away from the long walking. With that, there seemed to be less to see, the blackened paws looked void-like, almost as if they didn't exist in this realm at all. Shadows blended too well, and Dewstep could see now that Darkfire was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

It was nothing more than his imagination running wild, Dewstep wasn't going to let that happen. Darkfire won't kill anyone, and if he did, Dewstep would make sure he would protect those that Darkfire would go against. No matter who it was. He would stand between them and Darkfire, he wouldn't let any black cat kill. To not let those visions meet with reality would be Dewstep's best option, one with a better ending.

 _Perhaps it is inevitable that Darkfire will kill,_ Dewstep thought to himself as he watched his brother walk steadily, as if this entire endeavor was something of a simple matter and he was above it all. _If such a vision comes true, then what must I do afterwards? Fight him? I can't hope to best Darkfire in a fight, for as fast as I am, I certainly cannot take a hit from such huge claws. There is no way that I can hope to beat him…_

There wasn't much hope now as Dewstep sank further into this idea of fighting his one and only brother. A feat like that wasn't feasible to Dewstep and he hoped he would never have to.

"Why are you so silent?"

Dewstep looked up and realized Darkfire had started to walk beside him, no longer looking like a huge cat from far away legends. Ones Hollyleaf had only heard of in rumors, and even little in experience. But Darkfire's voice had now brought Dewstep from the dark recesses his mind was providing, those of thoughts that would never come true, and Dewstep knew this with an utmost certainty.

"No reason," Dewstep replied, even trying to smile a bit. "Just a little curious on the clans, is all. I mean, I have a feeling this will take a while, when do you think we will see Hollyleaf again…?" Dewstep let his smile fade, keeping a rather straight face other than the tilt of his head, curious on Darkfire's own thoughts.

"I don't know," Darkfire responded. "Depending on how this goes, I may or may not want to see her again. I love her, Starclan knows that, I'm sure. But a small part of me wonders if this is actually right." Darkfire looked at Dewstep for a moment before looking back ahead towards the edge of the treeline. Soon, they would be entirely away from their own territory and into twoleg territory. Not much twoleg territory was between here and the lake, a few places Hollyleaf had called "farmland."

Dewstep's ear flicked at Darkfire's response. "Alright, I just hope we do. She is our mother after all, and if this was our final goodbye…"

"Don't think like that," Darkfire interrupted, bringing his yellow gaze back to Dewstep. "I'm sure one of us will see her again. She isn't too old yet, I reckon maybe eight more seasons. I doubt our journey through the clans will take that long, brother." Darkfire's voice now seemed distant. "There is much of the world I would like to explore, I hope to do so one day without being tied down by the clans or mother. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can."

Surprise didn't enter Dewstep's mind at all, he had expected Darkfire to look towards the world. He remembered how almost every night, Darkfire would climb a single tree and look towards the stars. When Dewstep questioned him, Darkfire only responded with "Because the world is a place to be explored." Since, Dewstep hadn't gone against the idea that Darkfire would one day leave. Most of him didn't want to see his brother go but Dewstep certainly wouldn't stop him.

At least he was helping Dewstep restore the clans to their former glory.

"I hope you can do what you want to be able to do, Darkfire," Dewstep smiled a bit and looked away. His smile faltered, only just. Dewstep had hoped Darkfire didn't catch the twitch, but Darkfire had noticed. He didn't resent his brother for not wanting him to go, but there wasn't much that would stop him from leaving if he wanted to.

Dewstep only wanted his family together, and why Hollyleaf didn't go with them was a mystery he didn't know. She had never told them why she wouldn't go, just that "new faces would help them see the truth of their transgressions."

Now his journey rested on the words of his mother, along with the hope of a bright future where he could see the clans grow and function like they should.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The day and a half of travel had gone by fairly quietly between Darkfire and Dewstep, making the time feel as if it would never end. This unending loneliness made Darkfire question Dewstep's complete silence, but even now, he knew that Dewstep probably questioned him too. At this point, he felt it would be more awkward to start a conversation than to remain silent. Probably for the best.

Neither of them stayed quiet for much longer, however, when the sun in the distance began to set and the loud sound of roaring appeared to their ears. Each of their ears twitched, the sound was unfamiliar and loud, certainly. But it remained inconsistent and the timing wasn't even. Darkfire looked ahead and peered through the trees, noticing a break within the trees in the distance. There was something up ahead, and the movement was quick.

"What in Starclan's name is that?" Dewstep mewed quietly, peering out with Darkfire.

Darkfire remained quiet for a moment longer before finding his voice to respond. "I think Hollyleaf already warned us of this," he began quietly. "That gap in the trees seems to stretch farther than our vision to our left and right, so… It must be the Thunderpath." Darkfire could feel Dewstep's pelt fluff up at the idea of crossing around it.

"Any way around it…?"

He shook his head. "You're usually the one who listens to Hollyleaf, did you learn nothing?" Darkfire felt a little irritated that he had to explain. "She said that these Thunderpaths last practically forever on both sides. If your objective lies on the other side, we have to cross. Besides, it isn't that bad, from the sound of it, they don't come too often." A few more heartbeats passed before Darkfire trotted forward closer to the black and paved Thunderpath. "Those monsters use this as their path, rarely veering away from their course. But getting hit is almost certain death." Darkfire perked his ears up, bright reddened lights in the distance to his left, but they only moved farther away. "Come on, there are none coming. This is our best chance."

Bolting forward with an astonishing amount of speed, Darkfire felt his paws hit the hard and warm pavement. The Thunderpath was strong, probably stronger than any rock or stone. It didn't move under Darkfire's paws, but that was to be expected. The earth didn't move on his mere whim, the world moved of its own accord. This Thunderpath would never veer from its course, Darkfire grinning a bit as he made it to the other side and turned around, noticing his brother wasn't right behind him.

Looking across the road, he realized Dewstep was standing in the middle, staring at bright lights emanating from a monster barreling its way down the Thunderpath. Dewstep looked frozen in place, his eyes widened with pure terror and his fur was fluffed up.

"Dewstep!" Darkfire bolted back onto the Thunderpath, paws thudding hard and scraping against the black cement. There was no response from Dewstep and the world felt slow now, Darkfire trying to knock his brother out of the way. He knew that no cat could stand up to such a beast, that was why he had to be quick.

Gripping his brother's scruff, he dragged him quickly out of the way. The monster crashed past, screeching for a moment before it continued down the road, slower than before. Darkfire didn't want to think it was stalking them, and he practically ran and dragged Dewstep out of the Thunderpath, on the side where their goal was.

"Dewstep! You mouse-brain!" Darkfire growled, angry and scared that he could've lost his own brother in a matter of seconds. But when he finally looked at Dewstep, he realized that his brother was probably more scared than he was. Dewstep's fur was on end and his tail was thrashing as he looked down, unable to bring his chin up as his eyes remained as wide as the moon. "Come on, get up…" Darkfire mumbled and nuzzled Dewstep's chin, making the cat look up.

"I'm so sorry…" Dewstep whispered, voice cracking a bit. "I don't know what happened…"

Darkfire shook his head. "Don't worry about it, you're okay now and we shouldn't have to cross back over the Thunderpath." In the midst of the pause, there was a rustling in the bushes and Darkfire instantly looked up. He placed one paw a bit ahead of himself, covering Dewstep while he recovered from the trauma. "Who's there?" Darkfire growled, taking in the scent slowly. The Thunderpath behind them had gone entirely quiet, as if the use for it was long since done.

There was only silence that greeted him for several moments, the wind responding with a long blow through Darkfire's ears. With the wind was not a single scent, but Darkfire knew someone was there. Another cat. They were staying downwind of him and he looked in that direction. A large set of bushes that were clumped up slowly swayed in the wind and Darkfire wondered if he saw a pair of eyes amongst the green, shining blue and bright. It could've been the reflection of the moon…

But Darkfire knew better.

As if on cue, four cats appeared out of the bushes, two of them surrounding Dewstep and Darkfire. Dewstep looked up, finally seeming to have recovered from the Thunderpath and looked around at the four cats. He stood close to Darkfire, but he gave Darkfire enough room to maneuver in case these cats decided to attack.

With the two cats upwind of Darkfire, he could smell the salty tang of fish on their breaths. It was strong, and he knew exactly what territory they crossed into first. Just as planned, they entered from Riverclan's side of the four territories, their first stop would soon be at a close.

" _Remember, if you come from the side of Riverclan, they may treat you better and be more willing to let you in,"_ Hollyleaf's voice echoed in Darkfire's mind. " _Beside Windclan and Riverclan is where the clans first discovered the lake, coming from that side may make you seem like you are one of them. The story you know will also add trust, so remain careful. And remember the most important rule above all…"_

"Never say my name…" Darkfire whispered with an intense quiet that could not be heard, even by Dewstep, who had been standing beside him.

"What are you doing on our territory?"

The first to challenge Darkfire was a she-cat, and Darkfire found the first mistake right there. He was not, in fact, standing in their territory, but just outside of it. Now that he knew he was standing near the lake, he could tell precisely where he was in respect to the Thunderpath. Hollyleaf had once mentioned how Riverclan's border is on par with the Thunderpath, but it wasn't exact. She had discovered a length of about eight tail-lengths between the Thunderpath and the territory was there, unclaimed.

"I'd watch that tone," Darkfire grinned a bit. "How can I be standing on your territory when your territory is a few tail-lengths in front of me?"

Each of the four cats paused for a moment, not thinking this rogue could possibly know clan borders without knowing who they were.

"If you know who we are…" a male cat interrupted, his green eyes glaring at them. "Then what exactly are you doing here?"

"We would like to see Leopardstar, if we may," Darkfire relaxed a bit and stood tall. He took note of the several gray pelts surrounding them. If Dewstep wasn't afraid of water, this would be the perfect clan to have blended into, a familiar face amongst a familiar crowd.

One of the other toms chimed in now. "Absolutely not. You aren't getting to our leader, rogue, so take your little apprentice and cross back over the Thunderpath. Go back where you came from." Darkfire narrowed his eyes and glared at the cat who had spoken now. Dewstep's pelt bristled against Darkfire.

After a brief silence, he chuckled. "I don't think you could compare to Dewstep and I, little one." The cat was much smaller than Darkfire, and Dewstep was still taller than the cat. _He must have just been made into an apprentice no more than a moon ago,_ Darkfire thought to himself before turning back to the other three cats. "My name is Darkfire and this is Dewstep, we have long awaited to finally be here and amongst the clans."

Dewstep calmed after a moment, turning around with Darkfire and looking at the first two cats who had appeared out of the bushes.

"Alright, that's enough," another she-cat intervened. "Copperpool, Rippletail, go back to the clan and tell Leopardstar that we have guests. We will let them stay for tonight, it is getting dangerous out here during these nights and it is better to be known not to send cats to their deaths." The she-cat tried to reject the command. "I said now, Copperpool."

Both the cats slowly turned and grumbled a bit, then bolted underneath the bushes and disappeared, not as swift as Darkfire thought a cat should be.

"You both have clan names," the newest addition meowed once the other two had disappeared. "Why is that?"

Darkfire spoke up once more. "Our mother was a clan cat from long ago," he explained.

"What clan was she from…?"

"From the stories she told us, I could only assume either Shadowclan or Thunderclan, but we don't know for certain," Darkfire responded. "She never gave us her real name, I don't think. She called herself Snake, but that was the furthest we ever knew of her. Snake gave us our training, and when she passed away, she told us to come here." Darkfire continued before the she-cat could interrupt him. "We don't expect anything from coming here, and I expect rejection. Dewstep and I are rogues to you, so we don't expect anything from this experience other than to meet the four clans."

The she-cat glanced at Dewstep and then back at Darkfire, both of them were entirely calm now. "My name is Mistyfoot, and you are right to not expect a welcoming party. In reality, we believe you have no right to be here, but if what you say holds true… Then we shall see. It is up to the leaders, not the will of the cats, to let rogues stay. Especially rogues with no proof they belong to the clans." Mistyfoot turned around and stretched for a moment before padding into the undergrowth, blending into the shadows. Even if she did have a light pelt.

Both the brothers shared a glance with each other before following the cat towards the center of the territory. The stench of fish had become increasingly worse, making Darkfire want to gag. Hollyleaf fed him fish once and it was a taste he didn't exactly admire too much. Ironic, since Dewstep actually enjoyed the taste but hated water in its entirety.

There was a small entrance that Mistyfoot disappeared under, Dewstep and Darkfire following silently. When they entered, they found themselves in a clearing lit by moonlight. It had poured into the clearing, washing away the fear that resided within Darkfire. As much as he didn't want to be here, he had at least some curiosity for clan life.

"Remain here." Mistyfoot padded away up towards a den covered in a sort of bush that Darkfire didn't recognize. He remembered from Hollyleaf that Riverclan made their dens out of reeds, and he wondered if that was what the bush was. It had made the most sense, Darkfire sitting down and satisfied with the idea that each of the dens were made of reeds. Dewstep sat beside him, his tail flicking slowly at all the new faces.

Darkfire could tell that they were being shunned by the rest of the Riverclan warriors, and he didn't mind at all. Being shunned was to be expected, and he wasn't used to the idea of being near so many cats already. His entire life had been lived only next to his family, Darkfire didn't like being near so many at once. Easing into this life wouldn't be easy.

A brightly spotted she-cat left the reed-bush den, her gaze meeting Darkfire's own. Briefly, she spoke to Mistyfoot, who remained at her side. Darkfire knew who this cat was, Leopardstar. He even took note that she was growing old, her life within the clans wouldn't last much longer and soon, Mistyfoot would take grasp of the name of Mistystar. With this idea in mind, Darkfire could also tell that Mistyfoot was of an older age too. She wasn't too young, and the two cats seemed to have a trusting relationship that was bound by deep roots.

 _Leopardstar survived the original battle, a fateful occurrence that I can only assume happens every few generations._ Hollyleaf's words echoed slowly as the two cats began to walk over, Leopardstar herself looking as if she didn't trust these two at all. _These clans have cats who always disobey the code, and every generation will always have at least one who disobeys the code. My brother once met with a Windclan she-cat, and as much as I regret threatening his very relationship, I also feared he would leave too. I am just as bad as they are, but at least I have the will to make it right, even if it has to be through the two cats I love most._ At the time, Darkfire hardly understood what the problem with the relationship was, but being in Riverclan gave him a sort of idea. These cats seemed on one side of a spectrum, and after surveying the lake from a distance, there were four distinct areas. The lush green forest across the lake was Thunderclan territory. In the hills was Windclan, and then there was a forest that was dark and not as green as Thunderclan's own territory. Shadowclan could only be assumed to reside there.

"I hear you want to join the clans," Leopardstar spoke as she sat before the brothers. "I want to hear from you why you would be interested in even joining at all." From the way she spoke, the dark tone she used, Darkfire already assumed that Leopardstar was going to turn them down.

Dewstep sat a bit taller when she had approached and spoke for them.

"Our mother taught us the warrior code, and we have found a lot of respect for it," Dewstep began. "So when she passed away, we decided it was time to find these clans and see if we would fit in. The code is all we know."

There was a moment of hesitation before the questioning continued.

"Why come to Riverclan, then?"

"No other clan has been visited, Leopardstar," Dewstep mewed. The old cat narrowed her gaze, glaring at the two brothers, as if the information of her name wasn't supposed to be known. "We were going to visit them until we found a clan to reside in."

"Where's the loyalty in that? Why not go to the clan your mother is from?"

Darkfire spoke this time. "She never told us, we heard stories from her. Mainly from Shadowclan and Thunderclan, but she has shared a lot about Windclan and Riverclan. For us, we don't exactly know which clan she came from." He tilted his head a bit. "She told us a lot of history amongst the clans, and from what I last heard from her, she doubted you were even alive still."

Leopardstar kept her gaze narrowed but specifically kept her eyes on Darkfire now. Hatred burned behind them, Darkfire holding his ground against this cat.

"We can swim and hunt," Darkfire continued, not liking that Dewstep had gone quiet. "She even taught us how to fight against and fight with each clan, it was her wish we come here as much as ours."

"Your mother's name?"

 _I've already gone through this, do I have to answer again?_ Darkfire thought to himself. "She was exiled and resorted to using the word Snake as her name."

The leader's gaze stayed on them before looking away and standing. "If the other clans don't accept you, then we will. You can stay tonight, but no longer. I want you gone by sun-high tomorrow." She turned her gaze to another cat, he blinking a bit. "Grassfoot, find them a place to stay. Senior warriors, come with me while we talk."

Grassfoot disappeared into another den.

Dewstep looked up at Darkfire, his green eyes shining with happiness. "You ready to pull this off? For mother…?"

"For mother," Darkfire repeated, his gaze looking over at Grassfoot, who motioned to the den with his tail and left. Leaving the two rogues alone could be a mistake, but Darkfire hadn't prepared anything at all against these cats. It just wasn't his problem, and he stepped into the quiet and small den, laying down on a bed of reeds and moss.

 _Can't I be doing this for myself too…?_

 _For mother…_

Darkfire sighed quietly and curled up, his brother laying down in another bed. It was weird to not feel at least the slightest bit of warmth, but it was the best they had and Darkfire felt no need to sleep directly next to his brother.

 _For mother..._


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

A cold and bitter wind blew through the small den, forcing Dewstep to awaken and open his eyes. He was only surrounded in a dull white color, but it was glossy and crystallized. The landscape surrounding him was bright as he watched the trees flow with the wind. No longer was he near Riverclan's borders or on Riverclan territory, but standing in the middle of an open field. Off in the distance, there seemed to be a moving contrasted color against the snow, a black pelt trudging through the snow and the frigid winds of leaf-bare.

Green eyes were paired with the thick black pelt, and alone she stood against the entire world. Alone, did she fight through this storm. No one but Dewstep surrounded her for many tail-lengths. Silhouettes of twoleg dens littered the horizon like fur, tall and small.

Dewstep began to dig himself through the snow, barely able to see over the snow from his small size. Peering, trying to make out more characteristics, he realized the black cat was holding something in her teeth. Her jaws were closed as her gaze remained fixated on something in the distance. A rock overhang that gaped open like a mouth, a cavern in the darkness.

The cat was definitely one that Dewstep recognized as she got closer and closer, she not seeing Dewstep.

"Hollyleaf!" Dewstep tried to shout but found his words lost in the wind. There was the gentle sound of the mewling of two kits. One entirely blended into Hollyleaf's pelt, Dewstep unable to see the soft gray stripes that almost didn't exist at all. Beside the kit was a smaller, gray one, shivering with his eyes closed. "Hollyleaf…?" Still, no voice escaped his lips.

But Hollyleaf's voice reached his own ears, clear as day, though they stood several tail-lengths apart. "It's okay, kits… We're almost to safety… This blizzard will pass, I know it will…" She seemed unsure, and she quickly moved into the cavern, Dewstep following close behind with his ears perked in curiosity.

Only Hollyleaf's black pelt was covered in snow, and she curled around the two kits, her tail fluffing up as much as it could as she shivered and her teeth chattered. The kittens continued to mewl, before finally finding her stomach and suckling. "There you go…" Hollyleaf whispered. "Drink while you can… Please…" She seemed to be begging, an expression of sorrow spreading across her face like a disease as tears stung her eyes and blended with her fur. "Don't die on me… Come on, Dewkit… you can make it…"

"Dewkit…?" Dewstep whispered, looking at the kit and realizing why both kits seemed familiar. "What am I looking at…?" he tried to speak, though his lips remained sealed shut. Padding forward, he got out of the outside and the snow, wanting to get a closer look at the three cats. In the furthest reaches of the cavern, there was a loud crack and Hollyleaf looked up, her gaze filled with fear.

"Stay away from my kits!" Her voice was a loud growl, and before Dewstep could see what had disturbed her and set her fur on end, his gaze opened to the real world.

There was no bitter wind, and beside him, Darkfire was sleeping soundlessly. Dewstep couldn't imagine him being a small kit anymore, the idea in his mind was fuzzy at best. Now Dewstep wondered what Hollyleaf had been doing in a cave while a blizzard was swirling all around her.

As he began to look around, Dewstep realized there were a few shadows outside the den and several hushed whispers reached his ears. They were too hushed to distinguish from one another, and Dewstep slowly sat up and stretched. In that moment, the whispers had stopped, as if they had heard him get out of his bedding.

A golden-spotted she-cat entered the den now, her gaze looking at Dewstep and then to the sleeping Darkfire. "Does he always sleep this late?" Leopardstar asked, almost as if she was getting impatient. Dewstep didn't want to wake Darkfire, but it felt best that they should be getting out of Riverclan as quick as they could. "I need you to go now, my warriors are getting antsy." There was a slight hesitation. "Good luck on your journey, Dewstep."

 _She said my name? Odd,_ Dewstep thought to himself, finding this respect from Leopardstar to be a rare luxury that would only happen once in his lifetime.

"May Starclan guide your paws," Dewstep whispered, noticing Leopardstar freeze for barely a moment. It wasn't long, only just enough for Dewstep to take notice and he turned away towards Darkfire, nudging him as Leopardstar left the den. "Come on, get up… Darkfire, you need to wake up," Dewstep meowed, his tail flicking a bit as Darkfire groaned. They had spent the entire day walking yesterday, and it seemed to have taken its toll on Darkfire.

"It's still early…" Darkfire groaned.

"And we are on Riverclan territory," Dewstep mumbled, prodding Darkfire's muzzle with a claw. "They want us to leave, Leopardstar needs us to leave and I'd prefer not to be on Riverclan territory by sun-high."

At that, Darkfire finally forced himself up to his paws, stumbling a bit before speaking. "I'm tired… How long did we walk for yesterday?" Darkfire shook his head. "A long time, don't answer that." He stretches out a bit before padding out of the den, Dewstep following slowly as they crossed the Riverclan camp. Some cats had been glaring at them, a growing distrust continuing to control their eyes as Dewstep and Darkfire left the camp.

The forest was silent, nothing surrounding them but a fresh and calm wind. It blew through Dewstep's fur, making him relax a bit, the wind feeling nice against his fur.

Darkfire continued walking ahead of Dewstep, and he didn't stop walking until they found themselves at the lake side, able to see the rest of the territories from where they stood. Dewstep looked over to the hills where it seemed nothing resided. However, there was a dip in the hills, and he wondered if that was where Windclan had made their home. It would make sense, it protected from the wind and it left all the enemies they would have in the open.

"I guess this is goodbye," Darkfire mumbled, looking down into the water before taking a small drink of it. Dewstep knew what Darkfire had meant, this was where they would split up. To the left would be Shadowclan, and that was Darkfire's first choice to go to. Since the beginning of this journey, Darkfire even seemed destined for Shadowclan. "Dewstep… can you promise me something…?"

"What is it…?" Dewstep mumbled, his tail flicking once.

"Promise me that no matter what happens… Promise me you'll always be my brother…" Darkfire continued to look into the water, Dewstep watching his tail thrash from side to side. "Promise me…"

Dewstep leaned down and licked between Darkfire's ears. "No worries, I will always be your brother… I promise." If neither Darkfire nor he got into a clan, at least this promise would bind them together afterwards. They would always be brothers, no matter how far apart they were.

At Dewstep's words, Darkfire seemed to relax and he looked up at him. "Off to Windclan with you then, and Shadowclan with me." There was the slightest hint of a smile, a fake one at least, that Darkfire could pull off. It made Dewstep feel better to know that Darkfire at least tried to smile, at this crucial moment in time. A point made was to split up and probably never see each other again until their mission was finally complete.

"Goodbye, Darkfire."

The first Windclan patrol finally appeared, and when they took note of Dewstep sitting at the edge of the territory between them and Riverclan, they had instantly become suspicious of his motives. Dewstep glanced up at them and waited patiently, remembering watching his brother walk the opposite direction that he did.

 _To take over the clans is going to take a lot of patience, something Darkfire doesn't have…_ Dewstep thought to himself as the patrol closed in on him. _And if he gets impatient, lives could be at stake. I wonder if Crowfeather still lives here, Hollyleaf's father. She barely mentioned him, but said that he was one of a hundred reasons she left the clans in the first place. Does that mean her brothers live in Windclan?_ One idea that Hollyleaf never expressed was where he brothers could be at this point, but it was never like she explained the power of the three. Dewstep had no clue what that was, Hollyleaf never mentioned the prophecy told to a select few.

Tension began to run high as the group of five warriors (one of them was about Dewstep's size, but he looked older than Dewstep himself) circled Dewstep. Fear ripped at Dewstep's mind, but he kept his composure.

"What are you doing on Windclan territory?" one of them growled, his black and short fur bristling and looking as if made of thorns. "Get off, rogue. You obviously aren't a clan cat."

Dewstep didn't like the tone of the tom, but knew he would have to play along. "I just want to see Onestar," he replied, although a part of him could tell that he wasn't going to see the leader. These clan cats were very unaccepting of the idea that a rogue would want to see their leader, and if Dewstep mentioned anything about joining the clan, they would throw a fit. Either way, this scenario was bad in all cases.

It would take the leader's deputy to see Onestar, but from the look of these cats here, Dewstep could tell none of them were the deputy. None of them seemed to want him here.

An answer easily received.

"Get off our territory, runt," a she-cat growled, spitting at him.

Keeping constant composure was becoming hard, and Dewstep knew this step to his mission was gone. But the idea was good, this was a good warning that Onestar was keeping his clan under control. Just like Hollyleaf's idea wanted, for the clans to follow the code down to tooth and claw.

"Mind letting me cross to get to Thunderclan, then?" Dewstep glanced at a couple of them, each cat seeming to calm down for the time being. They didn't seem to disagree, and began to walk closer to the lake before looking at Dewstep. "Stick within three tail-lengths of the water then, runt," the she-cat kept her crystal blue eyes on Dewstep, who nodded in response. "Our patrols won't attack you… but if we catch you here again, we will not hesitate to kill you."

One of the other patrol cats seemed more curious of Dewstep than hateful, but he stuck behind the warriors who had threatened Dewstep's safety. Another cat began to pad away, grumbling a bit, Dewstep catching a "We should have killed him" as the cat disappeared over a small hill to continue on the patrol of Riverclan's border. The rest did the same, and Dewstep began to wonder why they wouldn't just lead him to the other side.

 _Maybe they're afraid Riverclan will soon mount an attack of some sort, the border only protects them with a stream of water. I crossed it without a problem, and water is Riverclan's specialty,_ Dewstep glanced at the lake before starting to walk. He made sure he kept within his three tail-length distance from the water, an important habit to know for future reference. In case he wanted to move over to Riverclan when his business with Thunderclan was done.

 _They are the worst of all_ , Hollyleaf's voice echoed with scorn. _Thunderclan… They break the code every day, they accept so many new cats, they let their warriors see cats from other clans, and their medicine cat broke the code by taking a mate. Not only that, she took a mate from another clan. She broke two codes in one foul swoop, and I hate her for it. Leafpool, when you see her, I hope you force her into exile. She deserves all the bad luck returning to her._

Dewstep shuddered at the thought of Hollyleaf's hate-filled tone. Nothing scared him more than when she sounded angry, the Windclan cats could probably never compare to the whirlwind of fury that Hollyleaf could possibly be.

 _Dewstep and Darkfire, if worse comes to worse, then kill to achieve your goals._

That was the thought that began to haunt Dewstep as he continued walking across the territory of Windclan, a new scent greeting his nose. Dewstep didn't want to kill anyone, and after his visions, he felt that if anyone would kill, it would be Darkfire. Killing wasn't on Dewstep's agenda and he would avoid it at all costs, the only blood he wanted on his paws was prey. Not cat.

Approaching the Thunderclan border, Dewstep found himself having to wait until well past sun-high before a patrol finally arrived. The cats he found this time were calm, collected, and they glanced at him before finally, one of them spoke. A gray she-cat.

"Who might you be?" The she-cat watched Dewstep with suspicion, but nothing beyond that. "I'd recommend not standing on Windclan's side of the border, you don't smell like a clan cat."

"Relax, Dovewing," a white, long-haired tom spoke this time, turning to Dewstep. "She does have a right to question why you're on the border. Most rogues don't tend to stick around long enough to realize what they have done."

Dewstep took a deep breath, feeling relaxed with these cats. "My name is Dewstep, I came to see Firestar."

There was a sudden and intense silence, the long-haired white tom growling a bit now. "You mock us? Haven't we lost enough after that battle?" Dewstep was confused now, the white cat was very unfamiliar to him and not someone that Hollyleaf had mentioned before.

"Cloudtail!" An older warrior looked over at the white cat. "Shut up and head back to camp. Tell… Bramblestar… that we have a visitor."

Dewstep's blood turned cold instantly. _Firestar is dead?_ He thought to himself as Cloudtail snarled something at him, before turning and disappearing in the green undergrowth. _If Firestar is dead, who is the deputy?_ He looked up at the gray cat, and wondered if this was Graystripe. Another warrior who broke the code several times.

"Don't mind Cloudtail," the gray cat looked back over to Dewstep. "He is still upset that Firestar had passed away moons ago. Bramblestar is our leader now, so you seem to have some pretty outdated information." Dewstep nodded just a bit now, hoping he could learn quickly. "My name is Graystripe, this is Poppyfrost and Lightningpaw." He indicated to the tortoiseshell and the smaller cat, an apprentice. "That there is Dovewing."

Politely lowering his head, Dewstep spoke. "It is nice to meet some cats more inclined to see me than the other clans have been."

"It isn't every day anymore when we get new visitors, and Bramblestar isn't as tense as the other leaders," Graystripe meowed, stretching a bit. "He has been fixing up our clan since the Great Battle."

Without having Darkfire, Dewstep had to do all the talking. Not a fun experience to have when he had never spoken up about much in the first place. Not even to Hollyleaf.

"Come on then, I'll take you to see Bramblestar," Graystripe meowed again, padding into the forest. Dewstep followed quietly, tail flicking a bit until he was under the branches of the thick oak trees. It was more comfortable here than out in the grassland. "I see you have a clan name," Graystripe noticed.

Dewstep's tail flicked. "My mother… she was once a clan cat, but she was exiled long ago. She called herself Snake, I doubt it was her real name, but when she passed away, my brother and I came to the clans." Before Graystripe could say anything, Dewstep added in a bit more. "Darkfire went to Shadowclan, he believed that was where our mother had once lived. She told many stories about Thunderclan, however. Maybe as much or more than Shadowclan, and so we split apart. I came straight here."

A nod greeted Dewstep's answer, and he relaxed a bit more. He didn't feel under pressure here, this would probably be a better clan to join than Windclan would be. They accepted an outsider, it wasn't specifically against the warrior code, but it wasn't recommended. But they had reason to accept Dewstep, he gave them a plausible story that wasn't entirely wrong. Hollyleaf did tell many stories of Thunderclan and Shadowclan. Much less of Windclan and Riverclan, and she seemed to take a less kind approach towards Windclan anyways.

Upon entering a small entrance similar to that of Riverclan's, Dewstep found himself looking down a sloped side into what he thought was a ravine for a moment. It was nothing more than a large and deep hole in the ground, many cats were already waiting in the clearing as Cloudtail left a den near the top of the camp.

A large tabby with glowing orange eyes left the den as well, his muscles built large and his paws just as big as Darkfire's… probably bigger.

"I am Bramblestar, outsider," the huge tom spoke.

If Dewstep didn't feel small before, he certainly did now.

"I am Dewstep," he bowed a bit before the leader as he padded closer.

"What are you doing here and what did you want with Firestar?" Bramblestar kept his gaze on the small cat before him. In comparison, Bramblestar was much more like a tiger in size and Dewstep was a mouse. Dewstep thought about how much more terrifying he would be if Bramblestar was really named "Tigerstar."

Keeping himself relaxed, Dewstep replied. "My mother used to be part of the clans before getting exiled long ago, and when she passed away, I came here with my brother. He believes our mother was a Shadowclan cat, I believe she was Thunderclan. So we split apart." Looking up at Bramblestar, Dewstep looked up and stood as tall as he could. "I wanted to join Thunderclan."

Bramblestar looked down at Dewstep before looking to his right and left. There were a few senior warriors with him, and Graystripe was amongst them. "There is an extra den you can sleep in for the night, I shall talk with my own warriors about this." Bramblestar turned around after indicating with his tail towards an empty den near the top of the camp.

"Thank you," Dewstep bowed again. He wished Darkfire was here to have this moment with him, but it was too little, too late. The crow had missed the butterfly.

Padding up to the top, Dewstep sat in the den, alone with a small bedding of very soft moss. Sleep didn't come easy, and when it finally did, Dewstep could only imagine his mother staring into the darkness of the cavern. Her growling echoing in his mind from dusk til dawn...


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Darkfire sat along the edge of Shadowclan's territory, tail flicking slightly across the nettle that covered the border. It was in a thick line, almost like a trail all the way down to the lake. With yellow eyes keeping towards the territory, he remained waiting with a quiet and still patience. Almost like a statue, he remained where he was with just himself and his thoughts.

Leaving his brother wasn't something he wanted, but he felt that Dewstep could easily make it through into Windclan. How hard could it have possibly been? Hollyleaf had told both Dewstep and Darkfire that entering Windclan was probably the hardest clan to get into other than Shadowclan, Thunderclan being the easiest. Riverclan was a bit of a rogue element, but that element of their plan was solved.

"I just want out as quick as possible…" Darkfire whispered to himself, unknowing that he was currently being stalked from the shadows of the trees. Sighing a bit, he tilted his head more towards the lake before the scent of another cat caught his nose and the roof of his mouth. Eyes narrowing, Darkfire glanced towards the direction of the scent and waited. It wasn't impossible to tell where his attacker was going to come from, and due to the thick scent, Darkfire kept his ears back and perked as much as possible, trying to listen to any sounds behind him. "If you're part of Shadowclan, I'm not here as a threat," Darkfire spoke loudly. He wanted their attention. "My name is-"

"We don't care what your name is, Riverclan pest," a warrior of rather large size stalked out of the shadows from Darkfire's left, he was maybe barely larger than Darkfire. "Get off of our territory before we rip you apart." The growl came off as unsettling, but Darkfire had heard worse from his own mother.

Bringing his gaze over to the cat, he could tell that three more cats had appeared from the shadows, one per each side and behind him. Blinking a bit, he kept his gaze narrowed towards the large cat. "I'm not here as a threat. In fact, I have a proposition to offer."

There was a hesitant pause, each of the cats were intrigued but Darkfire could tell he wasn't going to be trusted. Darkfire had one proposition upon joining the clan, one secret weapon that Hollyleaf had given to him before they left. One she didn't give Dewstep, and Darkfire knew why. Dewstep was too nice, he was going to find ways to make the clans better without doing any harm. For Darkfire, he didn't care. Those who broke the warrior code would get what was coming to them, and Darkfire would be well enough to rest afterwards and leave. The clans didn't intrigue him.

"Last time we accepted any proposition from a cat, they betrayed us and ruined our entire clan," the large cat growled. He had a very dark tabby pelt, his gaze keeping on Darkfire. "So no, your proposition is politely refused."

Darkfire kept his gaze narrowed and he didn't even let his tail flick. "I'm not like Sol."

 _Sol was perhaps the most dangerous cat I've ever met,_ Hollyleaf's voice growled. _You want them to accept you into the clan? Shadowclan has a grudge, a very long one, with Sol. They were persuaded to abandon the code, and it took the strength of Thunderclan and Riverclan to get Shadowclan back to their paws. To see what they saw in them, a dying leadership with a more than dead clan. They had become nothing. But Sol… I've seen him, so your journey with Shadowclan will be long. Blackstar may never trust you, but that is the Shadowclan way. Trust is hard to come by._

"You shouldn't speak of him," the tabby growled slightly, his tail flicking as they began to circle Darkfire. "We warned you to get off of our territory."

"I know where he is, and I know your grudge with Sol runs very deep," Darkfire didn't move from his spot, sitting tall. Now that the others had begun to circle, he realized the one that had been behind him was no more than a mere apprentice. Unless small size accounted for Dewstep's case, but the eyes of the cat were too bright, too hopeful for battle. An appetite that could only be quenched in one of two ways. Defeat or victory. To be defeated would be a hard lesson to learn for any apprentice, Darkfire knew that from experience. And victory for the small cat was next to impossible. "I can give you a trail to follow."

"And weaken our clan? I think you would just destroy our clan when our strongest warriors are gone."

Darkfire's whiskers twitched a bit. "Why send your strongest? Sol isn't a strong cat, he is, in fact, very weak. I had a grudge to pick with him, but I have a story too. One Blackstar might like to hear before any decision is made entirely." Bowing his head, he looked at the dark tabby. "If your leader doesn't accept me into the clan, so be it. But there will be none other to whom I give such information. As much as it is Shadowclan who has the grudge, it is for Blackstar's ears. Not the place of the common warrior until the leader decides."

The warriors (and the apprentice) that surrounded Darkfire were very hesitant, and he could tell they didn't like Darkfire's calm composure. These cats wanted him running with his tail between his legs, but that wasn't going to be the case. A sore disappointment on their part.

"Follow me."

The dark tabby stood fully and began to pad away. "Don't think about trying to escape, I won't hesitate to slash your throat open." Darkfire understood and followed, the other three cats of the patrol surrounding him on all sides. There wasn't any escape, and Darkfire never thought there would be. Now, his mind had changed on wanting his brother nearby. This wasn't a place for a soft cat, and Dewstep would take a long time to change the clans for the better. Darkfire would be efficient. He would cut open the gaping wound in Shadowclan's forces, tear away their code-breakers, and seal the wound. Shadowclan would be better for it.

Darkfire looked up into the trees, noticing a crow that cried at them, its pitch black eyes glaring down at them before taking off above the trees with wings made of black feathers. One of the feathers drifted down, Darkfire looking over at one of the cats to his right towards a mottled brown and ginger tom, who didn't look back. As Darkfire brought his gaze back up, he didn't know where the feather was. No longer did it drift down slowly.

With his gaze back ahead of them, he watched as the tabby disappeared in a patch of undergrowth that proceeded on both the left and right side, dug into the ground about maybe a tail-length. The brown tom bumped into him, purposefully, nudging him inside.

On entering the other side, the smell of cats became incredibly strong. The sun didn't reach into the camp all too well, the branches of trees covering almost every part of the clearing. Dens lined the edges, only a select few towards the center of the camp. To Darkfire's right was the warriors den, he could only tell because of the many middle-aged warriors hanging around that area.

Towards the center was a den with loud mewling, a sound that Darkfire had never heard from anyone but his younger brother, trudging through light snow before finding a small den to be in. They had been two or three moons old then, but the memories were fuzzy, mostly of Hollyleaf trying to keep them warm in the cold. A part of Darkfire remembered something about a storm, he remembered being small and against Hollyleaf as she licked his fur to keep him warm. Many moons of his young kit life were spent in the cold, it was most of what he remembered. Though the memories that came up from his young life didn't start happening until he was five moons of age.

The patrol began to lead him towards a smaller den, which happened to be next to the nursery. A big white cat stepped out as the patrol returned with this new cat, and his large black paws unsheathed their claws for a moment. His whiskers were the purest of white and his gaze was cold for a moment.

"Tigerheart… Who have you brought into our camp?" he growled, no longer staring Darkfire down. "You know we don't accept rogues, under any circumstances after the 'incident.'"

Before Tigerheart could reply, Darkfire did. "My name is Darkfire, I come from clan heritage and I have some information about a cat who I've heard Shadowclan doesn't like too much. Sol." Darkfire let the information sink in for a moment, the large cat then glaring at the patrol before making some sort of indication with his tail.

In a swift movement, the cats behind Darkfire, the ones that had been leading him here originally, left. "Come with me then," the old cat slid into the den with a smooth movement. Darkfire hesitated a moment before padding inside and slowly sitting near the entrance. "So you know that I am Blackstar?" Darkfire nodded. "You said you had clan lineage? Care to explain?"

Darkfire started with how he only knew his mother as Snake, that he believed she had originated in Shadowclan from all the stories she would tell. When he had finished, he let the idea of his story sink in with Blackstar.

"I remember a she-cat named Snake… Snakepaw, I don't know if she ever got her warrior name or not." Blackstar's ear flicked. "I don't think she had a black pelt, however, but it isn't entirely implausible that she found a black-pelted male to mate with. So whatever it is, I guess I'll have to trust you on your word for now, and I am definitely not surprised she passed away. Starclan… that was moons ago. So many moons ago."

Darkfire nodded a bit, glad his story was plausible to Blackstar. It was the best he had, and the one lead he had on Sol wouldn't last long. "Then let me begin with some information you may enjoy to hear. Snake had seen Sol, and Sol explained much to her, where he was going, what he was going to do." The look on Blackstar's face was quiet curiosity, a distrust lying behind his narrowed eyes as he watched Darkfire. "There are ravines in the mountains where he makes his little base. He is there, from what I last heard, and I know you want him dead. Sol knows he can break the clans down to the brittleness of bones, given the chance. No matter how much you distrust him, he has power."

Blackstar's tail began to flick. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Snake wanted you to decide his fate, to send a patrol of cats after him. I would to, I have feelings for this clan already, and would hate to see Sol come back and once more to tear the clans apart." Darkfire kept his gaze steady on Blackstar, who seemed to be submitting under the pressure. _So much for a strong leader,_ Darkfire thought to himself, thinking that Blackstar was also old. "You won't need your strongest warriors sent," Darkfire continued. "Maybe in willpower, to resist his influences, but your best can remain behind. You can send me with or have me stay."

Blackstar sat up a bit more, glaring down at Darkfire for a few moments before finally responding. "I shall take you up on your offer, and you will be going."

"Not even a meeting of senior warriors?" Darkfire asked, curious as to why Blackstar wanted to have them leave so soon. It wasn't much of a leader thing to do, from Hollyleaf's perspective, that was.

"You know a lot about the clans," Blackstar growled a bit. "I don't think an apprentice - an exiled one, no less - knows this much. I have a right to not trust this information you are bringing me, so I will send you and three others on this journey. The rest will stay." He glared at Darkfire. "I cannot give you good luck, that Starclan will light your path, rogue. In fact, I hope you get clawed to death out there, I don't need more warriors and I would prefer to not be like Firestar, adding rogues and kittypets to his clan all the time." Blackstar turned away and sat on his moss bedding, no longer looking at Darkfire. "But… If you do come back alive, then I guess your acceptance into my clan will be left at that. I doubt you will."

The sinister chuckle that followed had turned the tables on Darkfire. Now he felt he would be in the fight for his life and his freedom from this cursed mission. _It was doomed to fail from the start,_ a small voice whispered in Darkfire's mind. _From the looks of it, he is on his last lives… Maybe his last life, and I certainly hope he is._

"I will tell my deputy who to send with you, and once the patrol is ready, then you can go and find Sol. If you lose his trail, come back here and we shall never speak of this again. Got it?" Darkfire nodded slowly, not letting his tail flick and not letting his eyes reveal how nervous he had been becoming over the course of this talk with Blackstar. Padding out of the den, he grinned a bit and went towards the entrance of the camp. The plan for his mission wasn't over, and hopefully, he would one of the cats that Hollyleaf had once named.

 _Tawnypelt._

 _Dawnpelt._

Tawnypelt was a bit of an odd one that Darkfire had to get rid of, he knew the code but a part of him didn't understand why she was a target. She switched clans, but that was about it. Whether or not it was his problem rested on how she would defend himself.

Then there was Dawnpelt, Hollyleaf had gone into a bit more detail with her. A part of him didn't understand certain days where Hollyleaf would go missing, but it was a constant struggle to keep up. A medicine cat apprentice, by the name of Flametail, had been killed under the ice many moons ago, and from what Hollyleaf had seen, Jayfeather, another medicine cat, was put to blame by many others.

 _Hollyleaf had spied on these clans for moons, but she was never gone for more than three days time,_ Darkfire thought to himself as he continued to wait. _She witnessed the newest in terms of clans breaking the code, and from what I heard, Dawnpelt had no evidence to provide to the death of Flametail. As Hollyleaf pointed out, they are siblings, so Dawnpelt is just crazy. At this point, it is best she is removed from the clans entirely, she will only cause more trouble, something these cats don't need. Trouble follows from everywhere. Hollyleaf is a part of that trouble._

He didn't believe that Hollyleaf wanted to cause trouble by sending them out to fix the clans, but Darkfire knew that trouble had to start somewhere. If he wanted to remove all the code-breakers in the clans and leave as quick as possible, he had to start somewhere. Shadowclan was perfect. They are the start of so many battles between the clans that it was impossible to not see such a perfected opportunity. None would be wasted.

"You're Darkfire?" a she-cat came up to him and tilted her head just a bit, the same distrust in her eyes that was in everyone else's. "I'm Dawnpelt." She had a soft purr that Darkfire enjoyed, he had never heard a voice that smooth and he gave her a small smile. "This here is Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw."

 _Perfect._ Darkfire smiled towards both of them, knowing that to remove them, there were two options. Take the opportunity if they get injured or something else comes up, or to kill them himself without Rowanclaw figuring out it was him. If he was lucky, Rowanclaw wouldn't take note of anything. But that was luck, skill and patience would be required. Something Darkfire was trained in for moons upon moons.

"I'm Darkfire," he bowed a bit out of respect. Or for what little he had of these cats. To stay in a clan with many was an achievement that Darkfire did respect, but he would prefer to be a rogue over being with so many. Many small parts of him wished Hollyleaf didn't obsess over this warrior code, he would be home now and with her, they happily making sure they had enough food and water amongst the three of them. Maybe Dewstep wouldn't be there, he had been far more interested in the clans than Darkfire ever was. "Shall we start this journey then?" Darkfire meowed.

He smiled just a little bit more.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The morning was far brighter than Dewstep could've imagined as he opened his eyes to the early morning sun peeking into the den. More of a flash, a blinding moment where he thought he would reawaken in his dreams again, to be terrorized by something he didn't understand. No, the night had been peaceful as far as he was concerned. This was a bright new day and hopefully a brighter and better life that would follow.

Dewstep sat up a bit and very quietly peered out of the den, the clearing below him was filled with cats getting ready for the day. Another cat, a she-cat with dark ginger fur, was issuing orders for patrols for the day. It seemed the first patrol consisted of Graystripe, Dustpelt, Thornclaw and Shadepaw. From the way Thornclaw and Shadepaw acted, Thornclaw was the master of an apprentice who seemed to bounce around a lot.

 _I don't envy him, I bet Shadepaw is rather hard to keep still on training days,_ Dewstep thought, remembering how Hollyleaf trained him and his brother. Even during their training, Hollyleaf would leave for several days at a time (As much as four days gone at one point, from what Dewstep remembered) and would return.

Rarely did she tell her kits what she had been doing. But as they got older and understood more and more of the warrior code, Dewstep realized why she had so much information on the clans. She had worked as a spy before they were born, keeping note of everything that happened with a memory that seemed to last forever. No matter how much time had passed, she remembered the little things. Every little thing that happened seemed to go through Hollyleaf, and she knew more than she let on, Dewstep thought.

But watching the clan move about was a wonderful thing. It had filled the air with a sense of order, cats didn't rush around in desperation but with purpose. Kits were playing near the bottom, yelling and tossing a moss ball while laughing. Dewstep smiled softly before looking over. The dark ginger she-cat was done yelling orders, she giving herself the sun-high patrol, and had begun to walk over to Dewstep.

She was pretty, Dewstep had to admit, but he didn't really care much as he tried to sit a bit taller. Always, he always came up short no matter how tall he tried to stand.

"Bramblestar would like to see you," she meowed with a smile. "He has some good news for you, I would like to think." The she-cat purred before jumping down towards the center, speaking quickly with another cat about something as Dewstep looked towards Bramblestar's den. His heart raced with anticipation, ready for the response to be a no, even with the ginger cat's smile and her kind words.

Taking a deep breath, he padded up to the den and gave a gentle scratch to the rocky surface to let Bramblestar know he was coming. A reply of "Come in" greeted him and Dewstep peered inside to see Bramblestar sitting up. Amber eyes stared out from the darkness towards him, though some light had gotten into the den and revealed the large tabby coat.

Bowing his head in respect, Dewstep slowly sat down as Bramblestar's large body loomed closer.

"I will give you a similar speech that Bluestar gave Firestar, clan life is one of the hardest you can imagine." Bramblestar walked outside and onto the ledge, Dewstep following slowly and sitting beside him as Bramblestar sat and looked over the clearing as clan life ran about, doing their daily duties. "Being in a clan isn't for everyone, many rogues like to live alone and being near so many cats can be terrifying. You don't smell of many cats, Dewstep." More respect for his name being said, and Dewstep felt his heart race faster. "You barely have the scent of two, one of them faded so much that it took a moment to notice. You aren't a kittypet, even if you are small, you are strong and don't smell like twolegs." Bramblestar turned his gaze over to Dewstep. "I would have turned back away from the clans if I were in your position, but your mother… Snake, was it? You're doing this for an exiled cat who could never live with us."

Dewstep nodded very slowly.

The tabby looked down over the clan again. "You are allowed to stay. Firestar would have let you in because he hated the thought of leaving cats behind, and he was shown a kind courtesy from Bluestar. She was a leader before he was, I barely remember too much about her now, but she was a powerful leader, that was for sure." Bramblestar looked up towards the sky. "I have a feeling Starclan has been watching over you for many moons, Dewstep."

Dewstep's eyes widened a bit at the news, he smiling more and he gave a polite bow. "Thank you, Bramblestar," he meowed, his tail lifting up slightly as Bramblestar looked down at the small cat. "This is amazing, I never thought I'd be able to get into the clans at all." Dewstep let out a long purr.

"Don't think you'll be welcome by everyone," Bramblestar muttered. "Even I was born into the clans and I wasn't accepted for many, many moons."

"I don't want to be accepted by everyone, Bramblestar," Dewstep replied, the smile remaining on his face. "To at least be accepted by the majority and make a couple friends along the way is all I want."

"You may find that quite easy here, I don't know." Bramblestar finally cracked a smile for a moment before looking at Dewstep. "How much training have you had? The warriors who let me know about you seem to think you may have more training than you let on."

Shrugging a bit, Dewstep replied, "I would hope all that I would need. My mother taught me how to fight with and against every clan, although her information does have a chance to be outdated. She said that she was born into the clans before the Great Journey." Dewstep looked out over the cats in the clearing, some glancing up at the two before minding their own business. "I do miss my mother, sometimes I wish she could see us now."

"Depending on if her exile was based upon a true crime or not, maybe she is," Bramblestar kept his gaze on Dewstep, almost as if analyzing him.

Dewstep brought his eyes to the sky, his green eyes shining brightly. He knew Hollyleaf wasn't dead, but in a way, he wished she could see him now. To stand tall above the clan with the wind blowing through his thick fur, it was the best feeling Dewstep had. _Hopefully Darkfire feels this way in Shadowclan, if nothing else_ , Dewstep thought as he looked back at Bramblestar. "I was born a warrior, I promise that."

"Ask Squirrelflight for your first assignment, then," Bramblestar's tail flicked, brushing over the dust. "May Starclan light your path, Dewstep." With that, Dewstep gave one more polite bow before looking around, then turned to Bramblestar who chuckled just a slight bit. "She's the dark ginger cat, by the fresh-kill pile."

"Thank you," Dewstep smiled a bit and slowly made his way down, looking around for the cat Bramblestar had described. His green eyes finally found a ginger she-cat, and he blinked a bit. The only ginger she-cat was the one who sent her up to Bramblestar in the first place and his tail flicked a bit as he walked over. No longer did his heart race as he stood before the she-cat. "Bramblestar said you would have an assignment for me…?"

Squirrelflight turned and looked at him, then gave a soft purr. "I have a question first… Why are you so small and yet your mother gave you a warrior name? You look like an apprentice."

The question made Dewstep pause in his tracks, tail flicking a bit. _How many cats are going to think I'm an apprentice?_ He wondered to himself, somewhat in irritation. "My mother was small, if you could see my brother, I'm sure he's just as big as Bramblestar." Squirrelflight laughed. "I'm just small, like H… Snake." Panic spread through Dewstep instantly, but Squirrelflight didn't seem to notice he had made any mistake at all. _Mouse-brain!_ He wanted to growl to himself, hard to call Hollyleaf by a different name so often in one place. It wasn't right.

"Alright," Squirrelflight shook her head. "Go get some new bedding for the elders den and then come back to me before sun-high, you'll take that patrol with me." She turned towards the apprentices den (which Dewstep had assumed because cats as big as him were rough-housing near the front entrance of it) and she called out to one of them. "Firepaw! Get over here!"

Dewstep could barely hear the conversation that followed with the apprentices.

"She's mad, you'd better go to her."

"Aren't you almost always in trouble?"

"I don't know what I did this time." That must've been Firepaw.

"Weren't you the one who had disturbed the warriors in their den?"

"No! That was Shadepaw!"

"He must have blamed you, I know he was assigned to the midnight patrol while he was sleeping, he was punished for that."

"Then wouldn't I have gotten punished then too?"

Squirrelflight seemed to laugh a bit before calling for her again.

"I have to go, sorry guys."

The bright ginger apprentice was far more colorful than Squirrelflight and she bolted over, her green eyes looking up as she tried to act innocent. "You're coming with me and Dewstep to collect bedding for the elders." Firepaw blinked a bit, as if surprised she wasn't getting in trouble for anything.

"Okay!" she responded happily, looking up to the elder's den. "I'd like to hear more of Spiderleg's stories anyways." Firepaw smiled more and stood beside Squirrelflight as she rolled her eyes a bit and began to walk towards the entrance. As they were leaving camp, Dewstep caught two cats looking at him. One had a gray tabby pelt and pale blue eyes, the den he sat near had the scents of many plants, ones that Dewstep hardly recognized anymore from Hollyleaf's training.

The pale eyes rested on Dewstep and he realized the cat must have been blind, remembering Hollyleaf mentioning that the medicine cat of Thunderclan was entirely blind. He saw nothing, but in many ways, it was like he saw everything. Nothing got past the medicine cat, and Dewstep was afraid of that.

Beside the gray cat was a golden one who stood tall, his tail flicking a bit as he watched Dewstep. His brightened golden eyes had a hint of distrust but there was also curiosity. The cat seemed strong, maybe stronger than Darkfire himself, a belief that Dewstep could barely hold onto.

Looking away, Dewstep followed Firepaw and Squirrelflight out of the den, and before either of them could say anything, he spoke. "Who is the medicine cat of the clan?"

An ear flicked from Squirrelflight.

Firepaw was the first to answer. "That would be Jayfeather! He's really irritating sometimes, but he can be fun too! Sometimes I think he can see us because of how he seems to look around the camp!" Firepaw was very energetic, and Dewstep chuckled a bit. His eyes remained on Firepaw for a moment before looking ahead. "Some of the clan says Jayfeather can peek-"

"That's enough, Firepaw, no need to be so hasty with all the information we have," Squirrelflight laughed a bit. Dewstep could tell she was trying to stop Firepaw from telling a secret that he didn't know. _But I do, Hollyleaf knows that Jayfeather can see into the minds of others, and if I am correct, then the golden warrior is Lionblaze. He can't be defeated in battle. Hollyleaf… Why do those two have these abilities you spoke of once?_ Dewstep thought to himself before he realized Squirrelflight was speaking. "-And Firepaw can be a bit rash at times."

"Hey!"

"It's true." Squirrelflight laughed more and looked back towards Dewstep. "She's just like Firestar, I can imagine her being leader one day. If she ever learns to be quiet and stop messing around." Squirrelflight glared at Firepaw, who looked up innocently before she noticed the patches of moss where they gathered their bedding. "I assume that since your mother made you into a warrior, you know how to gather moss?"

Dewstep nodded lightly. "We didn't have to do it often, since there was only three of us, but yes."

"Three?"

"My brother, Darkfire. He believes Shadowclan is Snake's ancestor, not Thunderclan. But with her, it was always hard to tell what she was talking about." Dewstep used his claws to begin gathering chunks of clean moss. "I'm many moons older than you think I am," Dewstep stated, looking at Firepaw. "Just because I'm small, it doesn't mean I'm an apprentice. I probably know more about fighting than you." He grins playfully.

Firepaw stuck her tongue out at him and growled. "We shall see about that."

"I'd like to see your fighting skills, Dewstep," Squirrelflight spoke now, rolling her eyes and batting Firepaw to the side. "And you aren't going to fight him. Not unless Bramblestar says so." Firepaw's tail drooped and brushed against the ground. "Don't worry, you'll probably fight him first if you beg Bramblestar enough."

The idea didn't seem all too bad to Dewstep, fighting to prove he had skill of any sort. It would be somewhat easy, since he was trained to fight against all the clans. Thunderclan's weaknesses lied within speed, they were built to be strong but if Dewstep were to be faster (making his small size a huge advantage) then he could beat almost anyone thrown at him. The warriors may still be fast, however, and Dewstep knew he would have to analyze patterns in fighting styles. Not everyone would go down the same way, and even one slip up would have to be an advantage taken or he would lose battles consecutively.

"Come on, let's get this to Spiderleg and we can talk to Bramblestar to see if we can schedule a practice for tomorrow. Dewstep is a part of the clan now, I hope he can stay. He's interesting, to say the least, right Firepaw?" Squirrelflight smiled as she picked up the moss.

"Right!"

The den was cold and lonely without the brothers, Hollyleaf sitting alone and sighing a bit as she looked at the old bedding. Taking in their scents, Hollyleaf's tail flicked slowly as she glanced at each one. "Hopefully their mission is exceeding my expectations," she whispered to herself, feeling her hatred boil at her blood. "The only ones who can stop them are my brothers… Jayfeather better keep his head to himself while my sons are there." A growl rose in her throat.

Turning away from the beds, she began to tear at her own in anger. "I am the third. Starclan's prophecy has failed, I cannot be there to complete their stupid prophecy. If they needed me, they would have searched farther than their territory. No, they don't care."

As Hollyleaf slowly calmed down, she heard the sound of pawsteps outside, her ears perking up slowly. _I have visitors, it seems,_ Hollyleaf thought as she turned around, trying to listen to the voices that were outside. Pawsteps moved around quietly, the sound of rain surrounding them. Hollyleaf couldn't tell how many there were, but she could tell there was as many as maybe ten others. But there was a chance towards lesser, maybe four or five at least.

"I know you're here, Snake," another voice carried through the clearing above her. The den was dug out into the ground a little further than it had been, and it made the sounds of rain at night calm Hollyleaf. "Or should I call you Hollyleaf? Which do you prefer?"

The voice was familiar, Hollyleaf remembered it from somewhere, but the moons had been long past since she last saw him.

Looking up and peeking her head out of the den, she watched cats walk around the clearing with their pelts bristled, thunder and lightning crackling through the sky. "Come on, Hollyleaf, it's me, and I think you owe me an explanation." Turning her gaze, she screeched as someone grabbed her by the back of her throat, dragging her out of the hole. Turning, she tried to claw but found nothing but air as she was tossed aside.

Coughing and glaring at the cat, she watched as his gray pelt became more familiar and his yellow eyes glowed as lightning broke the sky behind her.

"I think it is time for you to tell me where our kits are."


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The sky was dark as the journey to the mountains became colder and colder. Within the air was the scent of rain, a thick downpour would soon drench the small group of travelling cats. A patrol with one purpose, a purpose proposed by none other than Darkfire himself, who stood near the front. He walked with purpose, the mountains to the north being his goal. The tribe was further south, a place Darkfire didn't dare roam, too many variables that he would have to pay attention too if Dawnpelt and Tawnypelt were to leave the clans permanently.

They both stood behind him, Dawnpelt speaking up after a few moments. "We should probably find shelter of some sort, and the mountains shouldn't be much further. Think we could find a cave or something of the sort or should we find a place to sleep in the forest?"

Up ahead was another forest, the patrol in a field of grass. Behind them was nothing but the horizon and a large field with one twoleg den. It looked abandoned.

"Maybe we should," Darkfire replied as he glanced at Dawnpelt, who was looking up at him now. "It may be best that we find a place to stay for the night, or at least until this storm passes." His stomach growled lowly, a monster writhing around under his black pelt that waited to feed. "Maybe we will have time to hunt as well," he continued for a moment as he brought his yellow eyes back to the mountains. Dawnpelt seemed to laugh a bit, Tawnypelt still not saying anything along with Rowanclaw. The only one who seemed to accept him was the cream-furred she-cat who remained smiling.

Smiling a bit as well, he continued forward as he looked towards the mountains still. "I have a question."

"Go for it," Tawnypelt spoke this time, looking at Darkfire now with a gaze he couldn't describe if he had noticed.

"What do you plan on doing with Sol if we find him?" Darkfire didn't look at Tawnypelt.

"I don't know about Dawnpelt or Rowanclaw, but I'm ripping his throat out and watching him drown in his own blood," Tawnypelt replied, looking straight ahead now. Darkfire didn't care to look towards her still. _That's a bit dark,_ he thought to himself. _Tawnypelt might be upset that I have to lead this patrol, but it wasn't my choice. I'm the only one who knows the beginning of Sol's trail. Hollyleaf already hated the calico cat, maybe she will actually like me if I kill him. Why should I care?_ In a mere moment, his thoughts began to argue with each other before he took a deep breath and relaxed. Darkfire wanted to care that his mother should look at him with pride, that was all he wanted. She was the one with the obsession, not him.

With another deep breath, he glanced around before picking up the pace. "Come on, I want to be in shelter before the night begins." It wasn't long now, the sky was becoming much darker as the cloud shielded the land from the sun. An internal clock ran through Darkfire, he knew precisely where the sun was and how long it would take before the sun would be far under the horizon and on the opposite side of the land would rise the moon. It would be almost half-moon, a time for when medicine cats would meet.

At least the others had started to get used to his presence, and even Darkfire began to notice their scent starting to cling onto him. The new scent of Shadowclan had become a part of him and Darkfire actually enjoyed the thought. _Maybe it won't be so bad,_ Darkfire thought to himself as he glanced at the three cats behind him for only a moment. _Too bad two of them have to disappear, and silently if they're to be killed. I don't want to kill them, but if it comes down to it, they will die._

Turning his gaze away, he found himself at the edge of the forest and walking in.

"So how do you know where Sol is?" Rowanclaw asked after a few more moments of silence.

Darkfire looked back at him and shrugged a bit. "I don't know specifically where he is, but I know where his trail begins. My mother had talked to him in these mountains, he had revealed a failed attempt at destroying the clans." Darkfire glanced around for good places to rest. "He told her a lot about the clans, where they were and their weaknesses. Shadowclan's especially was their faith, but he failed in that. When my mother passed away, she said she wanted the clans to destroy Sol before he could break them up again."

Tawnypelt glared at Darkfire this time. "Why would a rogue - an exile, no less - want to help the clans?"

"Just because she was exiled doesn't mean she hated the clans at all," Darkfire responded, remembering Hollyleaf's narrowed eyes when she talked about the clans. Nothing was hateful in her gaze, but it was almost always thoughtful. There were other emotions that swirled around in his mother's gaze, those ones were always constant. Darkfire wished that pride was amongst them, but he could tell that wasn't part of that mixture of emotions. "She loved the clans and did a lot to defend them. When the old forest was destroyed, she tried to follow but got lost. We ended up in a forest much like this."

He noticed a few small hedges grouped together and padded over towards them slowly, sniffing around for any trace of other animals. There was none and he looked at the group. "We can sleep here tonight," he spoke naturally, like the conversation from before didn't happen. "You guys can pick how we should sleep, I know you don't trust me-"

"That's an understatement…" Tawnypelt mumbled as she crawled under one hedge.

Darkfire's ear flicked slightly and he glanced at her before sighing. "I'll go hunting, I'm getting hungry and I can get you each some fresh-kill as well. You all look tired." Turning away, his ear flicked as Rowanclaw went into the same bush that Tawnypelt had gone under. Dawnpelt hadn't moved just yet, then looked over at Darkfire as her ear flicked.

"Can I hunt with you?"

Blinking a bit, he looked at Dawnpelt. "Don't tell me you trust someone like me already?"

"No, but I'm hungry and I don't really want to just sit around," Dawnpelt shrugged lightly with another smile. "Those two can stick around in their den, and I'd rather not leave the newcomer alone. For all I know, he could abandon us."

 _One day,_ Darkfire thought to himself as he nodded a bit. _This would be the perfect chance to make someone like you disappear forever. No clan cat will know, we just have to find a strong wild animal that can take you out without making it look like I purposefully let you die._

"I understand," Darkfire finally replied and started walking further into the forest. "Let's go catch something then, I'm certain the other two would be mad if we didn't bring back anything for them." He gave Dawnpelt a small smile and she watched him for a moment before smiling back, as if analyzing him. It wouldn't have surprised Darkfire if she was. "Let's get going."

Padding further into the forest, Darkfire began to stalk, remaining silent. Dawnpelt did the same, sticking nearby as a small mouse appeared within sight. It was eating something in its tiny paws, Darkfire unable to see what it was. He flicked with his tail to motion towards the mouse and Dawnpelt nodded, her gaze narrowed on it and she very slowly and carefully went around it, blocking off any chance of escape the small mouse had. When she was in position, Darkfire crouched, remaining a good distance away as he brought his body down and back, in perfect position to pounce onto the prey. The little brown mouse continued eating, oblivious that its life was about to come to an end.

Dawnpelt then brushed her tail across the ground and the mouse paused, sticking its furry little head up and it stared directly at Dawnpelt. The she-cat tried to freeze in place but she was far from blending into the darker environment with the cream coat she had. The mouse bolted backwards, towards Darkfire and he reached his claws out, killing it instantly and looking up at Dawnpelt with another smile.

"Good teamwork," Darkfire laughed, pointing fun at her mistake with her tail. "You drove the prey directly towards me."

Dawnpelt's gaze glared playfully at him, glowing in the evening light. "Shut up," she mumbled, embarrassed from her mistake as her tail flicked gently across the forest floor again. Darkfire laughed more and she whacked him with her tail, only causing him to continue laughing. "Stop!" she growled at him, looking at the mouse.

"Alright! Alright, fine," Darkfire calmed down a bit and watched her for a moment longer. "Let's get another catch before we head back, mind going to go find something then? If you're eager to hunt, then I don't mind waiting until you come back." Darkfire's ear flicked a bit as he smiled towards her and buried the mouse. "I'll wait."

Her gaze watched him for a brief moment before she nodded. "Okay!" Dawnpelt seemed to take it as a personal challenge before she bolted into the forest, disappearing amongst the undergrowth. Darkfire rolled his eyes a bit and kept his ears perked a bit. As the time passed, he wondered if he began to hear pawsteps through his thoughts. Every time he looked around, however, there was a moment he wondered if he was going crazy. It almost felt as if something was watching him and it had been waiting, hiding.

"Dawnpelt, stop hiding, you can't sneak up on me," Darkfire chuckled a bit with a smile and looked around. "Come out from hiding."

There was a slight pause before he began to hear the bushes crashing around him, and a large animal came out with small beady eyes and a black and gray pelt. Darkfire froze in place for a second as he stared at the large animal. "That… is definitely not Dawnpelt…" He mumbled to himself. "That would be a badger…" Darkfire swallowed a bit, knowing that if he ran, he wouldn't have any chance of bringing the prey back to Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw.

The darkness of the new night had brought the badger out of hiding and the animal seemed mad as it lashed a paw out at Darkfire, hitting him directly in the face and knocking him down. Darkfire's vision began to blur a bit, tears welling up and he coughed a bit, growling a bit as he stood up and jumped back, blinking away the tears as he howled at the animal. A warning. It lumbered towards him and he tried to jump over it, only to find something clamping onto his back leg and tossing him right back into the earth, dirt covering his pelt.

Coughing more, Darkfire looked up to see the badger looming over him and it was about to slash a claw down. Then the thing disappeared, its heavy body hitting the ground next to Darkfire as he tried to sit up, to stand, but pain shot through his leg like lightning. His vision began to focus and he noticed that a cream-furred she-cat was fighting the badger with speed, her body moving quickly and more of a blur than anything as the large badger tried to keep up with her. It didn't land a single hit and a claw struck down its face, the right eye of the badger exploding in scarlet colors.

Darkfire looked at his leg, which was bleeding heavily from the badger's bite. He hadn't expected the badger to be quick at all, and through the blurry vision earlier, he thought he was further away than he had been. The pain was sharp and he looked back up, the badger quickly running off, in the opposite direction of where Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw were.

"Darkfire!" Dawnpelt ran over and looked at his leg. "Come on, we have to get you back to the others, I know some herbs from my brother." Her ear flicked and she ran over to their prey, picking it up. "Let's get going."

Limping alongside her, Darkfire's tail flicked lightly from side to side. Dawnpelt was helping him? Why? He felt himself slip in and out of consciousness as he walked, his head hurting but he was determined to power through the pain. "Thanks…" he muttered, looking ahead still as Dawnpelt used her tail to help guide him. It was obvious that he wasn't doing too well and the pain in his leg suddenly became dull.

"Don't worry about it…"

When they finally arrived, Darkfire slowly laid down and closed his eyes. He didn't even know if he was under a bush or not, but he didn't care now. With his eyes closed, he felt the darkness of the unconscious world grip his body and sweep him away into the land of dreams…

When Darkfire awoke the next morning, his leg was wrapped in leaves and stinging tremendously, but it wasn't as painful as it was last night. Dawnpelt was sleeping nearby, a rabbit lay before him, untouched. It wasn't too freshly killed, it must have been what Dawnpelt had caught the night before and Darkfire stared at it for a long time.

"You should take it," Tawnypelt's voice made Darkfire jump and he looked up at her with his ears pressed back. He had been far too ready to fight and once he realized he was in no danger, he relaxed. "She wouldn't eat while you were hurt, she said you needed it more than she did. If you want my personal opinion, I could have cared less, you could have gotten infected and I would have let you." Tawnypelt's gaze stayed on him, her emotion not showing through clearly. "Then we could have just gone home, as much as I want to kill Sol, I didn't want to leave my home to do so. Besides, you gave us all the information we needed."

Breathing lightly, Darkfire nodded a bit. "You think I care what you think about me?" he asked and Tawnypelt looked surprised. "News flash, I don't." Tawnypelt glared at him before leaving without another word, her pelt bristling.

Taking a few bites out of the rabbit, he looked over at Dawnpelt and narrowed his eyes lightly. _She saved me… I wouldn't have survived much longer, even with my strength, I would've only lasted mere heartbeats more. Dawnpelt… I'm sorry to say that I can't give back the life you gave me. No… You still have to go._ Darkfire gently prodded her with a paw.

When her eyes opened, she looked up and yawned, tilting her head. "What is it…?" He passed the half-eaten prey to her. "No, Darkfire… you need it, you're hurt."

"Just because I'm hurt doesn't mean anything," Darkfire's ear flicked. "I'm good, and you need to eat now anyways, we need to head out soon. I don't want to give Blackstar any reason to have me leave his clan, I'm working my way into it whether he wants me or not. Besides… You saved me, I can't be in debt to anyone." Dawnpelt's gaze watched him carefully but she nodded and slowly began to eat, Darkfire standing and wincing at his back leg. He began to put pressure on it until the pain was nothing but a dull fire.

When Dawnpelt had finished, she stood up and buried the bones. "Let's get going then," she looked away and hurriedly caught up with Rowanclaw and Tawnypelt, who were mumbling about something that Darkfire couldn't hear.

 _Yeah… Let's get going..._


	13. Chapter 12

The training clearing was bright with the midday sun, sand and dust spewed up from the apprentices practicing fighting abilities that Dewstep analyzed with certainty. He knew how to fight against each move with a skill that could only be matched by that of another warrior. An apprentice knew not what he did, and that was to be shown today in the center ring.

Beside Dewstep was Squirrelflight, and on Squirrelflight's other side was Lionblaze, the famous golden warrior of the clans (Famous within Thunderclan, but infamous amongst the rest for the unfairness of battles that happened between them. Riverclan had been the least worried, since their battles with Thunderclan could not take place with tooth and claw). The golden warrior himself had the brightest eyes that reflected none other than the stars and sun and moon. They remained a golden color that Dewstep had only seen in one other cat. Darkfire.

Firepaw had been training with Shadepaw in the center of the clearing, trying to see who could outmatch the other. Lionblaze had put his bet on Firepaw, Squirrelflight on Shadepaw. Dewstep watched the two apprentices fight, and after several long awaited moments, he finally put his vote on Firepaw. She had energy, her speed could only be matched by another of her size, and Shadepaw was slightly larger, more unbalanced than Firepaw was.

In a flurry of swipes that Shadepaw couldn't defend against, Firepaw stunned him by whacking his throat hard. With a fit of coughs, Shadepaw looked up with eyes wide as Firepaw shoved into him and knocked him out of the circle. A line in the dirt encompassed the clearing, showing where cats could fight without needing to worry about any outside influence.

"Told you," Lionblaze laughed a bit before looking at Dewstep, ear flicking a bit. "Little mouse wants to fight, then he shall fight the best of our apprentices. You will fight Firepaw, and if you win, then you will fight one of us. We are putting you to the test, you are not a warrior until we know of your skill." Lionblaze watched Dewstep, who nodded in response, looking over at the ginger apprentice.

 _A speed that can only be matched by someone of her size,_ Dewstep thought again before he stood up and started padding into the center of the clearing. He heard Squirrelflight say "I vote on the newcomer." Lionblaze mumbled "Doubt it, Firepaw will win again."

 _Don't make bets on unknown variables,_ Dewstep thought as he stood before Firepaw. The seriousness in Firepaw's gaze had returned, her green eyes piercing right through Dewstep as if he was a ghost. _I am an unknown element that you have yet to witness, Lionblaze,_ Dewstep smiled a bit and Firepaw gave a small smile back. Her gaze remained on Dewstep's eyes. _I would lose to a cat like Lionblaze, but I have the training of ten cats, I know my mother raised me to be able to enter any clan and win any battle._

Squirrelflight's tail flicked and Dewstep's eyes watched as Firepaw bolted forward with blinding speed. A swift dodge to the right caught Firepaw off-guard and she rolled, a quick move to turn around and look at Dewstep. From the corner of his eyes, he could tell that Lionblaze had started watching more carefully.

With a slight pause, Firepaw darted forward, only to fake out towards the side. A move that Dewstep hadn't expected, but was prepared for. Firepaw was just as tall as he was, so he ducked under her paw and used his back paws to launch himself forward and up with his shoulder against her chest. The push knocked Firepaw back, she almost over the circle that surrounded them. Her agility kept her on her paws and she leapt up, closer to the center of the ring. This was going to be a hard fight, she was just as fast as Dewstep, but he had a few tricks tucked under his fur that he wouldn't just sit there and waste. He would use them against her.

He began to run around Firepaw with just as blinding of a speed, her eyes barely able to keep up with Dewstep's gray blur of fur. A Shadowclan trick to confuse opponents and force them to go right back to the defensive, something Dewstep found he excelled at in his training with Hollyleaf.

 _An opponent is only as strong as their speed and range,_ Hollyleaf's voice echoed. _A short cat like you has a lot of speed, but range is super limited. A large cat like Darkfire has range, but his speed isn't natural and must be trained for. We are fast, so we must work on how to get more range. Use your tail._

Dewstep stopped in one place and bolted towards Firepaw, who hadn't expected him to stop running around her like he did and tensed in her defensive stance. He didn't aim directly at her and went to his left, his tail rushing over her eyes and fluffing up, causing Firepaw to flinch and close her eyes. They began to water, which in turn made her blind to Dewstep's future attacks for a short time. But a short time was the difference between life and death in a real battle.

Going to her right side, Dewstep watched as Firepaw began to panic and try to glance around, trying to find Dewstep but her blurry vision wouldn't let her see anything more than simple colors. Crashing into her, Dewstep began to force her further and further back, making her retreat until he swung a paw, knocking her shoulder and throwing her out of the circle. He expended nothing in energy, it felt like and he looked at Firepaw.

"Sorry, Firepaw," Dewstep apologized with the flick of his tail. "But I'm afraid you lose." He smiled a bit, to which Firepaw wiped her gaze with her paw and looked up at him with a bright smile that showed she could've cared less about losing.

"That was fun!" Firepaw cried out, looking back towards Lionblaze and Squirrelflight. The ginger she-cat looked smug, grinning at Lionblaze whose eyes had widened to those of the moon at the fact that of all cats that Dewstep could've won against, it was Firepaw. The apprentice ran over towards Shadepaw, apologizing for her roughness against him as Squirrelflight stood up and walked towards the center.

Her dark ginger pelt didn't bristle, she didn't show any sign of fear nor did she show that she thought she would win. It seemed Squirrelflight was prepared to lose or win, and whoever would win would have the better skill.

Dewstep stood up again, standing near the center with the she-cat two tail-lengths in front of him. "You better be prepared," Squirrelflight meowed with a small smile. "I'm stronger than Firepaw, and now you'll face a real warrior." Lionblaze scoffed playfully in the background. "I heard that, Lionblaze, do I need to teach you another lesson?"

"I'd rather you not," Lionblaze replied back, laughing now. "Just start battling. I think the little warrior will win."

"Don't make bets yet, Lionblaze," Squirrelflight kept her gaze on Dewstep as her tail slightly raised into the air. A warm breeze blew through the little arena, the grass flowing softly with the wind. Dewstep crouched a bit into a pounce position, but he already planned to fake her out. His goal was to hit her shoulder to knock her to the side, give a flurry of blows, then do what he did with Firepaw. Use his tail directly against Squirrelflight's eyes. Her gaze continuously watched him.

Then her tail flicked.

The fight was on as Dewstep darted forward, Squirrelflight jumping to the side and her paw barely grazing his pelt for but a moment. Dewstep purposefully let her as he turned and gripped her leg within his teeth and pulled her to the side. With that move came unbalance and Dewstep tried to use his tail, just like before.

Squirrelflight had come prepared for that, the move wouldn't work twice, even on two separate cats. Her head raised up and his tail hit her neck, which made the move worthless as Squirrelflight proceeded to hit Dewstep's side, knocking him over and making him roll close to the edge of the clearing. Upon standing, she had darted for him with incredible speed. She was larger than Dewstep, which made her speed that much more incredible.

 _Those who train in speed when they have strength can eventually become unbeatable,_ Hollyleaf mumbled, the memory of Dewstep's training returning through each passing moment. _But that is a rare occurrence, few I have seen have become fast with how much strength lies behind their muscles. My brother is one of those, as was our… mother. Our mother, Squirrelflight, was small, but she wasn't as small as we are. She was almost the size of Firestar, and I wish I could give reference to what I mean. But she has been training for many moons as a warrior, she has strength that isn't matched by many within our own clan. Sometimes I wondered if things could have been different, I think I should have gotten to know her better. But that time is long past, she broke the warrior code, the most important thing above all else._

Dewstep faked right, then left, making Squirrelflight stumble as he targeted the right side once more. With a huge push of his back paws, he leaped forward and rolled closer to the center of the circle. He fought himself too, he found Squirrelflight to be a kind and loving she-cat amongst the clan, and a rather good deputy too. Over the moon's, Squirrelflight had become more organized in her work and she had always come prepared to be the clan's deputy each and every day.

He didn't think Squirrelflight could have done anything wrong, she had become well respected amongst the clan and Dewstep no longer understood Hollyleaf's reasoning for wanting her cast out of the clan, exiled. Besides, how could Dewstep manage such a task? No warrior this respected could be cast out without evidence… Dewstep had little to go on.

Amidst his thoughts, he felt a rush of wind as Squirrelflight ran past him and stopped only to whack her tail into his eyes, making him stumble and blunder like a mouse-brain. Dewstep kept his eyes closed, he knew precisely how to defend against Squirrelflight.

 _You can't always rely on your sight, one of my littermates knew that all too well._

Ears perked, Dewstep waited for any sound, staying absolutely still as his eyes stung, but he ignored the pain and focused on all his remaining senses. It was quiet, a tail flicking across the ground but Dewstep knew it wasn't Squirrelflight's. It was part of the group that was watching this fight drag on, and Dewstep no longer knew where Squirrelflight was. All his muscles were tensed up, ready for an attack on all sides, even above if that was possible.

There was a rush of grass to Dewstep's left and he rolled, feeling his attack fly directly over him and hit the ground nearby. With speed, though not graceful, he could hear Squirrelflight get up and he ran directly into her with his shoulder, knocking her out of the ring and into the dirt, which flung into the air as Dewstep wiped his gaze the way Firepaw wiped her own.

As his vision returned, he noticed Squirrelflight limping back and very faint blood on her paws. "Squirrelflight!" Dewstep's ears flicked. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

She shook her head with a laugh. "No, I just scraped a rock when I rolled." She looked towards Lionblaze. "I thought we removed all the rocks from this clearing?"

Lionblaze shrugged. "I removed the ones in the circle, I wasn't told about the ones outside of it. If you wanted them all gone, then you should have said so, but I heard to remove the ones in the circle." He laughed a bit. "Either way, you should go see Jayfeather."

"No need," Dewstep seemed to smile a bit and trotted over to a bush, grabbing a leaf and a small amount of cobweb. Padding back over to Squirrelflight, he used his tail to brush her paw up so that he could look at it. The cut wasn't bad but Dewstep could tell that walking on it would hurt. He placed the cobweb down against the top layer of grass so he could grab it again in a few heartbeats while he chewed the leaf, letting the juice trickle down onto Squirrelflight's cut. She flinched and her gaze was looking at Lionblaze, curiosity in her eyes.

Wrapping her paw in the cobweb, he stood back with a smile, glad he remembered the herbal remedies and how to deal with small wounds. Hollyleaf had taught him well.

"I think that ends training for today," Squirrelflight meowed. "Let's get back to camp. Lionblaze, mind joining me with Jayfeather and Bramblestar?" Dewstep hoped it would be good news that both the medicine cat and the leader would convene with Lionblaze and the deputy. Squirrelflight walked on ahead with Lionblaze, they talking about something when Firepaw ran up beside Dewstep, looking up at him with a smile.

"You're amazing at fighting!" Firepaw commented as she purred a bit. "Can you teach me some of those moves?"

Dewstep looked at Firepaw for a moment before smiling a bit. "Maybe, depends on if your mentor lets me or not." He laughed a bit as Firepaw continued to purr. "I hope I didn't hurt your eyes," Dewstep then looked back to Firepaw for a moment, she shaking her head. "Good."

Upon returning to camp, Dewstep wondered whether or not he should go to the warriors den or the empty den he had been using before. Squirrelflight was going to place him on sun-high patrol, but it was past that time and the patrol would have left already. Squirrelflight, Lionblaze, and the blind gray cat from before had disappeared inside Bramblestar's den.

Climbing up the stones to the den, his ears perked as the voices reached his ears.

"He has fighting skill." Squirrelflight's voice. "Not only that, but he knows a few herbs."

"So?" A new voice that Dewstep hadn't heard. That must have been Jayfeather. His voice was a lot lighter than Dewstep would have imagined. "Many rogues know the basics of herbs. They have to if they want to survive."

"Remember that story he gave us?" Squirrelflight commented. "He said his mother was from the clans, exiled. Don't you think it could be… her?"

"I doubt it." Lionblaze.

"But the evidence is there," Squirrelflight continued. "She probably didn't want to be entirely associated with the clans, she would have easily changed her name to Snake and no one would know who she was. Because it doesn't seem like her."

Dewstep had frozen in place, his ears remaining perked. _They can't know,_ he thought to himself, tail flicking a bit. _They can't know Hollyleaf is my mother just from such little information…_

"What about the cover story he gave us?" Jayfeather inquired.

"I have a feeling he lied about it, he knows more than he lets on," Squirrelflight continued. "You know we never exiled her, she exiled herself out of fear."

"And what if his cover story is true? Or at least… _that_ part of it? Snake is dead?" Jayfeather pressed the questions further. "We have no evidence that it was her."

"Then maybe you are blind," Squirrelflight growled. "For all you know, the entire story is faked and this 'Snake' isn't dead at all! If Snake is Leafpool, then it is entirely possible she had more kits and told them about the clans! Think about it! She knows about herbs, she was taught as a warrior for two moons before she left and although she wasn't good at fighting, she was an amazing teacher! Dewstep could have easily learned anything from her and he would be incredibly good with it! Let's not forget that very few cats remember the old forest anymore, far less were exiled and left the clan.

"Leafpool has to be his mother!"


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A faint snowfall had begun floating down from the sky, Darkfire's paws keeping a firm grip on the mountain rocks. Nearby had been a large ravine between two mountains, the cats not sticking close to that. Not only had Dawnpelt insisted, but she seemed afraid of heights and was nervous being up here. Darkfire didn't feel anything for her currently. He wasn't going to have any attachments.

The patrol remained quiet, up ahead was a cliff that scaled very high into the sky and Darkfire knew that the higher they went, the colder it would be. He wondered if he could use the cold to his advantage, his pelt thick enough to protect him from the wind.

But then he remembered his leg, Darkfire couldn't do much against the patrol itself with his injury. How he managed to make it up the mountain was a miracle in itself, his leg burning with pain that he didn't know how to describe other than by fire itself. At least, for now, the others had not tried to harm him further, including Tawnypelt. Her distrust of Darkfire seemed to run deep into her blood, she had no intention of being kind to Darkfire.

Doesn't matter, Darkfire thought to himself as he glanced around, then brought his gaze towards the cliff face. He thought he could see Hollyleaf sitting in front of it, near a cavern, but there had been nothing there as he focused on the entrance. "I believe it is here," Darkfire finally spoke. You better be right, Hollyleaf, his trail better be here or at least a fake one.

"We should rest here," Dawnpelt insisted after a moment. "Darkfire needs to rest and we need to eat." Tawnypelt scoffed, growling a bit under her breath before nodding in agreement. Although Darkfire didn't like the idea, he knew it was better to go along with it than argue. If he wanted to gain trust, then it might as well be by one he needed to… remove. "Then it is settled. Any thoughts from Rowanclaw himself or no?" With no reply came the silent agreement that they would stay in the small den for the night.

Upon entering the darkened cavern, Darkfire let his eyes adjust to the lack of light before he looked around. It seemed like the cavern had been used a long time ago to house an animal of some sort, but the scent was so stale that it might as well be non-existent. Spikes protruded from the top of the cavern, but didn't come anywhere near the floor. As dangerous as they looked, Darkfire could tell they would be rather sturdy against just about anything.

The snow outside was steadily increasing in power, coming down slightly heavier with the passing heart-beats. But the den remained warm, and Darkfire wished he could know why that was. It didn't matter, and the warmth made him slowly become tired, wishing his brother was with him now to curl up with. Regret stabbed at him when he didn't take the chance all the way back with Riverclan.

Far too late now.

Darkfire looked down into a small hole that was maybe half a tail-length deep, a little less than that, and there were several of them. Claws marked the surface of the stone, which meant they were somehow scraped down to be like this. I can imagine the pain of your claws after digging these out… Darkfire thought as he pressed his claws against the stone and brushed them along. His claws were a bit big.

"This is good enough," he spoke as he slowly climbed into one of the holes, curling up his body and keeping his leg mostly straight. Dawnpelt walked over and began checking over his leg. Both remained silent, as did Rowanclaw and Tawnypelt, who rested nearby but didn't check on either of them. Neither seemed to care about Dawnpelt's or Darkfire's safety. Maybe because Dawnpelt was helping the one they both didn't trust. Him.

I'm surrounded by my enemies, Darkfire thought to himself as his gaze narrowed towards Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw, who were grooming themselves currently. I wish not to kill, but my mission is my mission and there is nothing I can do about it. Remove those who disobey the code by any means necessary. Trust must be gained, and it will later be broken. Then a thought occurred to Darkfire. What if, when I leave, all I do is leave Shadowclan in disrepair? What if they never make it back onto their paws? I can't come back, and I will leave them whether they need me or not.

Wouldn't you rather be known for helping the clans rather than letting them die?

You're right, Dewstep… Darkfire thought as he sighed quietly.

"What has gotten you so down?" Dawnpelt asked, making Darkfire flinch as he looked up at her with a glowing yellow gaze. "Even if you are normally quiet, you don't sigh. In fact, I've never heard you sigh until just now," Dawnpelt commented as she placed the leaves back in place around Darkfire's leg. "If it is about them not trusting you, then don't listen to them. They've never met a nice cat before."

Darkfire blinked a bit and his ear flicked. "Dawnpelt… I'm not a nice cat," Darkfire replied, his gaze looking down slightly.

"Of course you are! How can you not be?" Dawnpelt's tail flicked slightly. "You're helping Shadowclan, after all. And if you know the clans, you know we have a terrible reputation for being the ones to start wars between other clan cats. So what if your mother could've belonged to one of the clans? For all we know, she was Thunderclan, but you chose to come here. You chose us. Not because you had to."

If only you knew, Darkfire thought for a moment. "I'm just a simple cat," he finally replied after a moment. "I want into the clans, this was the best way to do it. To gain a clan's trust is to be put to a severely hard task, to be tested to the bone and be ripped apart." He then looked up at her with narrowed eyes. "Any careless mistake is death here. I've made one mistake and I'm already lucky enough to not be dead. I'd rather not be as careless again."

Dawnpelt's tail fur was slightly on end. "But shouldn't you want to live with a brighter smile when you've survived something so dangerous? You're a strong cat, Darkfire. Not even Tawnypelt can deny that." There was a mumble across the room and Dawnpelt's ear flicked. "So we are going on this journey not as a patrol, but as allies. We all have one goal, Darkfire. Maybe learn to smile a bit more." With that, she turned around and padded into another smaller hole, fitting herself inside and curling up.

When Darkfire looked towards the entrance, he began to notice that the snow was getting heavier and heavier.

"Yeah… Sure…" He mumbled to himself before curling up into the depths of sleep. Waves washed over his body, that of fatigue and a sort of self-hatred he didn't have before. There was little that Darkfire ever wanted and among those things was to just be left alone. How many could understand how he felt? In Darkfire's mind, no one would ever be able to understand how he could ever feel, so what was the point in talking to anybody?

Soon… Soon…

Blood seeped into Darkfire's mouth as he growled, looming over the small gray body below him. Nothing mattered more than those who must be condemned, those in his dreams who disturbed his thoughts were no different. The forest around him was blacker than night, the only color being the fog, saturating the world with different shades of black, gray and white. Ripping his teeth away from the body, it faded into the fog, along with the hatred that burned beneath Darkfire's blood.

Glancing around, he kept his gaze narrowed, he could hear every sound and feel every movement. It was as if the forest was his, but it was also out to get him. Eyes peered out from the fog, from the blackened bushes and trees, most of them were different shades of gold and red. One set appeared blue, an icey blue that tried to bring insanity out of Darkfire.

"I won't break, not to you," Darkfire growled at the eyes, the silhouette of the cat moving out. A dark tabby, but he faded into the fog as he got closer, like he didn't exist.

"No, you'll never break to us. We don't want you to break. You are your own cat, your own body." The voice was female, one Darkfire didn't recognize. This wasn't the first time he has had this dream, night after night, he was brought to this dark place to kill the same gray cat. Over and over did he do it, but not because the voices told him to. Because it was his mother who appeared behind him, he killed this cat because that is what his mother wanted. But Hollyleaf was no longer within the dream, she had disappeared along with the blue eyes. What she had brought with her was none of Darkfire's concern. This cat meant nothing to Darkfire.

"I don't care what you want," Darkfire looked around slowly, trying to find the source of the voice. "I only care what Hollyleaf wants, and she wants the code to be fixed. That is what I will do, and when the code-breakers leave the clans, then that is when I will leave."

"I know," she replied. "Just follow your mother. Follow her like you are supposed to, you are exactly like her in so many ways, but you were born like she is now. You know what to do."

Darkfire growled lightly. "No, I don't."

"You do. Just go with the flow of your blood. Blood will always lead the way."

Darkfire had awoken to a bitter cold brushing through his fur and he looked around with his ears perked towards the others. Tawnypelt was sitting near the entrance, snow slowly starting to pile up from the snowfall outside and Darkfire slowly got up. Padding over, he sat beside Tawnypelt.

"You talk a lot in your sleep," Tawnypelt commented, her tail flicking slightly. Her gaze turned to him and Darkfire's ear flicked. "Hollyleaf, huh?" Darkfire narrowed his eyes. "She's supposed to be dead, no one knows she is even alive. Snake is a lie. I have a feeling that the rest of your story is an entire lie as well." Tawnypelt's ears flicked for a moment. "What is it about you that I hate so much?" She glared at him, teeth bared for barely a moment. "You enter Shadowclan territory and you act like you own the place. How can I trust you, especially when Sol did the same thing? Let's not forget the fact that you even know Sol, or at least where you could find his trail, and that in itself raises many ears, perked and awaiting what little thing you have to say next." She growled a bit now. "You mentioned how blood leads the way, Darkfire. No, blood does not lead the way and it never will. What leads the way is progress, and the clans have been making progress far before you came along and certainly well before your mother was even conceived. Did she not tell you that a medicine cat gave birth to her? Did she not tell you how not only did her birth break the medicine cat code but also the warrior code by taking a mate from another clan?"

Darkfire wanted to slash her throat, this speech was getting purely worse and worse and he wasn't going to stand for it.

"As much as I would love to invite Hollyleaf back to the clans, she didn't come back when she could have. No, she sent her son instead. You shouldn't be here, especially around my daughter. I've lost one kit, I will not lose another to someone like you." Tawnypelt growled slowly now, almost cautious. "Everyone I know has broken the code in one way or another… I will not let you harm them."

Tail flicking, Darkfire wanted to know where she was going with her little speech. She is going to be a problem now, so removing her is now more required than before, Darkfire thought to himself.

"You better leave while you have the chance, before the snow gets worse," Tawnypelt growled lightly. "And go back to Snake, I'm sure she'd love to hear that your mission failed. We will go home, and if I ever see you again, I will kill you."

A light growl left Darkfire's throat. "You wouldn't understand, Tawnypelt," he sneered, teeth showing and glinting against the bright snow. "You yourself have broken the code before, have you not?"

"Who hasn't?" Tawnypelt growled back, her eyes darkening as her tail thrashed against the stone. Rowanclaw and Dawnpelt remained asleep for the time being, but the noise of arguing got Dawnpelt to fluff up her fur in her sleep. "Every cat has broken the code, Hollyleaf's family was one of the few bad ones I've seen." Tawnypelt looked at the snow and placed a paw into it. "Trust me, you have no idea what my father has done. You're lucky you aren't me or my own brother."

Darkfire looked at her paw before looking at her. "Not everyone breaks the code," he responded. "My own brother hasn't, certainly not my own mother. Else she would have gotten rid of herself a long time ago."

"No, she wouldn't, she's using you."

Rage boiled deep within Darkfire's blood. "She is not using me," he growled darkly. Without his notice, Dawnpelt had slowly gotten up from her sleep and looked over at the two cats, about to say something before Darkfire growled again. "You should learn to keep your mouth shut, Tawnypelt. You know nothing about who my mother is or who I am." He stood up and lowered his head slowly, being much larger than Tawnypelt.

"I will not keep my mouth quiet," Tawnypelt replied and slowly got up, her claws unsheathing. "This is your last warning, Darkfire, give yourself up now and leave or perish."

Hollyleaf always said Tawnypelt was one of the nicer cats of Shadowclan, Darkfire thought for a moment, his thoughts remaining coherent through his own anger. She has no right to talk to me like this.

In a flash, he whacked a paw right into Tawnypelt's jaw, tackling her into the snow and tossing her further out into the cold.

"Darkfire!" Dawnpelt cried out, trying to run over.

But Darkfire wasn't the only one who wanted a fight, Tawnypelt got back up just as quickly as she had been knocked down and bolted after Darkfire. "Stay out of this, Dawnpelt!" she hissed and sliced her claws down Darkfire's side, who rolled away and turned the snow a bright scarlet color. The cut remained very shallow, it was barely deep enough to bleed. From the corner of his vision, Darkfire noticed Dawnpelt was shaking, unknowing of what to do in this situation.

There is nothing she can do, Tawnypelt has been a thorn in my side since the beginning and her distrust ends here. Darkfire growled more, hissing for a moment and jumping to Tawnypelt's right and lashing out with his right paw, knocking Tawnypelt over and back into the snow. The blow would knock most into submission and he sliced her side as she tried to get back up, further being driven back.

"Tawnypelt, apologize now! Please! We shouldn't be doing this!" Dawnpelt ran over again as Tawnypelt glared at her. Blood seeped through her fur and dripped into the white blanket below her, staining it until the day it would melt.

"I will not, you have no idea who he is, Dawnpelt." Tawnypelt took a pawstep forward and hissed at Darkfire, and he lashed forward as Tawnypelt did. The injury to Darkfire's leg no longer bothered him, his adrenaline pumping too fast, he being blinded by anything else but the monster that was rage. Darkfire's reach was much longer than Tawnypelt's was and he sliced open her muzzle, the cut deep and Tawnypelt cried out, taking several steps back. Her back paw slipped down, she disappearing for a brief moment.

Darkfire felt himself relax after a moment and he blinked a bit, watching as Dawnpelt bolted forward, crying the cat's name. Running over as well, Darkfire noticed that Tawnypelt was hanging over the edge, the top half of her body struggling to keep herself up.

Her eyes were suddenly fearful, and Darkfire watched as if an entire life was going to be ended by his hand. From her birth, Tawnypelt was picked on for having an evil father. The dark tabby with amber eyes loomed over her like a shadow, so that was where she went. To go straight into Shadowclan was to go where her heart desired, even if it meant leaving her brother behind. But her life didn't end there, she was part of a group of cats who discovered the lake, a tribe of cats, and in only a few moons, brought the clans to a safe haven.

In Tawnypelt's entire life, very little did she break the code. If she did, it was always for good reason and she saved others for it.

Regret stabbed through Darkfire and he paused in his steps, unable to help but watch, the she-cat he had clawed and whacked around was nothing more than another cat struggling to stay within this world. Now it was a literal sense that she was struggling. Starclan didn't roam here, the Tribe of Endless Hunting did.

"Darkfire! Help me get her up!" Dawnpelt tried to help Tawnypelt up but Darkfire could tell they were both losing energy quickly. His eyes had widened a bit, not once had he actually killed a cat before and now that he was watching one literally die slowly, he couldn't do anything. The power that had come with hurting Tawnypelt was something Darkfire felt addicted to. "Darkfire! Snap out of it!"

The snow around him swirled a bit as the blood slowly leaked over the edge into the ravine. Darkfire lunged forward, finally snapping out of his thoughts and his teeth went straight for Tawnypelt's scruff.

But it was too little, too late.

Dawnpelt slipped, her paws unable to keep herself standing any longer and her jaws opened, Tawnypelt crying out as she fell down into the depths. But it wasn't long as she remained mostly silent.

"Tawnypelt…" Darkfire looked down into the ravine, regret clawing every part of his pelt and his leg burned with ferocious intensity, threatening to rip him apart entirely. "No… What have I done…?"

Several heart-beats passed when another voice came up behind them.

"Dawnpelt? Darkfire? What are you doing…? And where is Tawnypelt?"

Rowanclaw…

What did I say in my sleep?


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

 _Leafpool?_ Dewstep's ear flicked slowly as he backed further away from the den, heading down to the one that he had been using and sitting slowly at the entrance to it. _Leafpool… The name sounds familiar…_ Dewstep pondered the thought as the cats continued to whisper about this sudden revelation they had discovered. _Their revelation is far from the truth,_ Dewstep thought to himself with a quiet and soft breath out, feeling relieved that they didn't think Hollyleaf was his mother.

After a while, he felt his stomach growl and Dewstep blinked, realizing he hadn't eaten at all today. _So much for going on that patrol at sun-high with Squirrelflight to learn the territory better,_ Dewstep thought to himself as he looked down at all the cats who were starting to rest after the long day. The sun hadn't set yet, but it felt like the world had begun to slow down as the cats below began to speak with one another. Some even groomed others and the entire clan in itself was being respectful.

Dewstep remained alone on the ledge. He didn't mind at all, however, because he expected this. Upon looking back towards Bramblestar's den out of curiosity, Dewstep watched as Jayfeather walked out of the den, his expression emotionless as his lips remained straight and his tail was practically still.

Jayfeather glanced over at Dewstep, the blind gaze seeming to watch him thoughtfully for a moment as Dewstep looked back at him. The shared glance didn't last long however, Jayfeather jumping down and heading out the entrance to the camp. Following with him was Lionblaze for a few moments, the golden warrior seeming more relaxed now than he was before. From his voice, even the other voices, they were each tensed up and unprepared for the false revelation.

Remaining where he was, Dewstep slowly let his paws move over the edge, keeping his legs under him as he got comfortable. Neither Bramblestar nor Squirrelflight left the den, and Dewstep decided it was best not to disturb them.

Bringing his gaze back to the clan life below them, he began to try and count how many cats there had been. A white cat sat beside a scarred she-cat with a missing eye. _What was his name…? Oh, I think he's Cloudtail…_ Dewstep continued to think to himself as he continued to look through the cats of the clan. _Lionblaze is with another cat, a gray she-cat, and Firepaw is speaking with the apprentices…_

"Lonely up here?"

The voice made Dewstep jump to his paws, he looking over at the cat who had spoken, only to have been met with another she-cat a little above his size. She had a light tabby coat and her blue eyes watched him for a moment with a smile just below her nose. "My name is Ivypool," she smiled a bit and sat down near him. "Everyone in the clan is excited to hear about you joining the clan, and I wanted to personally welcome you!" Ivypool purred.

"I'm Dewstep," he replied a bit, slowly relaxing and sitting down as well. Dewstep noticed how clean she kept her own pelt and her silver fur was glowing gently in the evening light. "I'm surprised anyone is excited to see me…"

Ivypool purred a bit more. "You're the first cat that Bramblestar has invited into the clan since he was made leader," she smiled. "When he first became leader, he was always worried that he would never live up to the potential that Firestar still had. Should've seen him then, he was so worried. Now he is so calm and collected, even fun to be with still. You would think that being a leader would make him a stickler!" Ivypool laughed a bit and looked towards the sky. "You want to know what I first thought of you when you entered the camp with the patrol around you?"

Dewstep tilted his head a bit, actually curious.

"I thought you were going to be a pain in the butt to be around, you look like Jayfeather and he is so picky about others mentioning his blindness." Ivypool's laugh was filled with amusement, Dewstep unable to contain his smile any longer. "With you being short, I thought you would surely be maybe an apprentice in age. But the other warriors are telling me you're much older than just some apprentice, is that right?"

Only a few days ago did Darkfire and Dewstep arrive in the clans, and just two days before did they become warriors. "Not too much older," Dewstep responded honestly. "Snake gave us our warrior names before she passed away, she said we deserved it." Dewstep's ear flicked at the lie straight after the truth. It didn't feel right to lie at all to Ivypool.

"That's awesome!" Ivypool purred again, she seemed awfully relaxed around Dewstep, who had been a total stranger to her.

"Yeah…" Dewstep looked back down over the clan. "Acceptance is my only goal here, to be accepted by at least the majority, anyways. I like this place…" _I really do,_ Dewstep added to himself as a smile began to spread across his face without his realizing.

Ivypool interrupted his thought process. "I already do! A lot of the clan won't for a while, but everyone needs a friend and I would like to be yours!" She let out a _mrrow_ of laughter as she spoke again. "I needed a short friend anyways. I'm shorter than everyone else."

Dewstep couldn't help but laugh again now, his tail curling around his front paws. "I'm not that small!"

"You're rather small, Dewstep," Ivypool stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"That's what I would want you to think!"

"No it isn't, mouse-brain, who wants to be small?"

"I do."

"No, no you don't! I can see it in your eyes!"

He flicked his tail across the surface of the rock and sprayed dust into Ivypool's fur. "Oh no, you better leave before we start rough-housing. If Bramblestar sees us, I don't think it would look good for you!" Dewstep snickered a bit as Ivypool gasped playfully.

"That's not fair!" she growled at him as her tail flicked slowly, she trying to groom the dust out of her fur now. "Get over here! I'm gonna put dust in your fur and see how you like it!" Dewstep blinked and bolted into the den, Ivypool chasing quickly after him on swift paws. Looking back, he laughed a bit and bolted right back out, Ivypool growling at him as he bolted towards the entrance. This soon gave way to a chase, and Dewstep was fairly certain someone had seen them bolt out of the camp. "So rude!" Ivypool called out to him and Dewstep laughed a bit more as his paws carried him through the undergrowth.

He could hear Ivypool remaining close behind and Dewstep risked a glance back towards Ivypool. At the glance, he could only see the glowing blue eyes and he went to turn back around before his paws stopped touching grass. In an instant, he landed and rolled across sand and mud, pain searing through him for a moment before becoming dull.

"Dewstep!"

"Dewstep!"

Opening his eyes, Dewstep noticed that Ivypool was standing above him, shaking him a bit. "Hey, Dewstep! Are you okay?" Ivypool's voice and eyes showed worry, and he slowly nodded as he tried to sit up. It took a lot of effort and his body was sore, nodding again.

"Yeah, I'm fine…"

"Don't worry me like that! You've barely been here a day and I want to know more about you before you die of falling or hitting a tree!" Ivypool seemed to calm down before starting to laugh uncontrollably. "You should've seen your own fall! Serves you right for getting all this dirt on me!"

Dewstep blinked a bit and looked at his own pelt, sand having gotten buried into his fur and was now itching. "Shut your mouth!" Dewstep chuckled and began to groom out his own fur, noticing that Ivypool's eyes were glowing with amusement he hadn't seen in a long time. Actually, now that Dewstep thought about it, he didn't think he had ever seen such amusement. Hollyleaf was always serious and after a long time, Darkfire became… something else.

Ivypool snickered and sat down in the sand, looking at the water, the tide coming in slowly as the moon began to rise in the distance. "You're funny," she beamed.

"I am?"

"Of course you are! Better than most of the other warriors, anyways."

Dewstep felt better at Ivypool's words, starting to groom his fur the best he could to get the sand out. Starting from the itchiest areas, he worked his way around his body before leaving bits and spots here and there, thinking it best to clean them up later. At least he didn't look as bad as before and he stretched his front paws.

Then his eyes caught the moon peeking into the lake water, the reflective surface shining brightly with the white moon above. Glancing over at Ivypool, he realized she was looking at him as well and she continued to smile. "The lake is pretty, isn't it?" she meowed as she looked down at the water and dabbed a paw into it, letting the reflective droplets drip off her fur. "I come here every other night or so, ever since the battle a few moons ago, I like to spend a lot of time enjoying what wonderful a life I have. I've made many mistakes that I regret but without them, I wouldn't be here now." She looked back at Dewstep. "What about you? Have you made any mistakes?"

There were many mistakes Dewstep wished he hadn't made, and most of them were accidents. Like standing in the middle of the Thunderpath and Darkfire risking his own life to save Dewstep. "Everyone makes mistakes," Dewstep responded as he brought his gaze back to the water. "We wouldn't be who we are without them, like you said about yourself."

 _Maybe this mission was a mistake,_ Dewstep thought to himself as his ear flicked, no longer did a smile show on his face. _The clan has accepted me as one of them… How bad can they possibly be? Bramblestar is leader now, and he seems to be doing a pretty good job at it too. What could possibly have gone wrong in Firestar's leadership that Hollyleaf felt the need to have her sons fix the code?_ Dewstep's tail flicked again. _In fact, why didn't she just come back herself? Was she hiding from them out of fear or is there something further that I don't know about her?_

"You sure you're okay, Dewstep?"

He looked up once more, his pelt not bristling at Ivypool's voice this time. "Yes, I'm fine… Sorry," he apologized quickly as his tail flicked awkwardly. "I'm not used to being around others still, I guess. I normally like to get lost in my thoughts. Back home, my family had this river that we claimed as our own, and I used to sit before it every night and wonder what clan life would have been like. Sometimes I wondered if Starclan watched over me too." Dewstep began to smile again. "I began to feel a tinge of hope, I sat at the fringes of the river and felt hope."

Ivypool stared at him for several moments, Dewstep not knowing anything she could have been thinking. He hadn't paid any attention to her and after a moment he shook his head. "No, sorry, I'm rambling…"

"No… no, no… it's okay," Ivypool smiled a bit more. "It's nice to talk to someone who understands and thinks that way as well. The feeling you get when staring at the water is wonderful."

"I'm actually afraid of water, or at least swimming in it," Dewstep said without thinking before his whiskers twitched. "Probably shouldn't have said that."

A laugh escaped Ivypool's lips. "Trust me, I know true terror with water," she responded as she dabbed another paw into the crisp and clear liquid, the tide continuing to slowly come in and lapped at Dewstep's white forepaw. "It is so much better when the moon is out too, to just look into the water," Ivypool whispered. "Sometimes I try to imagine the future and wonder what will become of the ones I know best… I've felt a lot of pain before, both emotional and physical. I've been saved by cats who I thought I knew, but they perished soon after. My life was preserved while theirs were sacrificed like mice." She looked at Dewstep. "So I spend all my time trying to live the best life I can to make sure those sacrifices don't go to waste."

Dewstep had been listening with his ears perked and he didn't back out of the water, having been mesmerized by Ivypool's words. _I don't want others to sacrifice themselves for me,_ Dewstep thought to himself after a moment. _My life won't be as great… I can't follow the will of my mother, not when every cat in Thunderclan seems to follow the code. Besides… breaking the code once can't hurt many, can it? I am small in comparison to this ideal, and this ideal is being lived by cats like Ivypool. Mistakes can be made… Maybe I should tell Hollyleaf that I am done here, I don't think there is much I can do anyways._ Dewstep's ears flicked after a moment. _Besides, Leafpool no longer lives here. So Hollyleaf has nothing to worry about._

"It is best to live life to the fullest," Dewstep finally responded after a moment of silence, smiling towards Ivypool before looking at his reflection in the water. He realized he had been smiling, a look he didn't see often. For once, he felt safe. There were no visions haunting him, he had a brand new friend, and he finally had a home he could believe in to the fullest.

If Dewstep were to do anything now, it would be to stay here in the moonlight and smile until the sun came up.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

 _Rowanclaw…_

 _Rowanclaw…_

 _You mouse-brain!_

 _Darkfire, what have you done!?_

 _Darkfire!_

 _Are you broken?_

 _Get up!_

 _Explain yourself._

No one moved, the intense silence compressing around Darkfire's black pelt and forcing his fur to bristle and his tail to quiver as the frozen flakes became thicker in the air. His body felt cold, his tail flicking across the surface of the rock. Every part of the world around him felt non-existent, there was no longer a coherent flow that Darkfire could understand.

Beside him, Dawnpelt was shivering and her gaze remained in the dark hole of the ravine. No cat could survive the fall, Darkfire was sure of that. Now he watched the she-cat, her cream pelt was flat with areas sticking up with fur.

"Dawnpelt? Darkfire?" Rowanclaw pressed further, Darkfire able to hear the crunching of snow beneath Rowanclaw's pawsteps. "Can either of you explain to me what is going on?" Fear sat at the edge of Rowanclaw's voice now, as if he knew something had gone terribly wrong. _He isn't wrong…_ Darkfire thought to himself, shivering again. Not once had he felt this cold, his heart pumping his blood throughout his body but it only brought goosebumps to the skin under his fur. "Both of you!" Rowanclaw cried out, trying to get either of them to say something.

Darkfire didn't know if he could explain himself, he had never killed another cat but this moment… It was his fault and he knew it. He knew it, he didn't need some dark revelation to understand what he had done. Another life extinguished.

 _Every flame dies,_ Hollyleaf's voice whispered. _My inner flame will one day, and so will yours. But that is just our physical bodies, our spirits will ascend to better places. Starclan watches over us, they always have and always will, and I believe the two of you will go there one day. So don't feel sad over the idea of death gripping others, everyone will perish. That is just life._

 _Yes,_ Darkfire argued with himself. _But taking another cat's life… I thought it would be easy… So much easier than this, but the fear in her eyes…_

 _Don't worry about such trivial matters,_ Hollyleaf's voice responded. _Answer him, worry about Tawnypelt later._

"Tawnypelt is gone…" Darkfire choked out, almost unable to find his voice as he turned towards Rowanclaw. The intense silence from earlier was finally broken, and following Darkfire's voice came a howling wind, the snow slowly piling up. Swallowing, he looked at Dawnpelt. "We have to go inside… The snow will bury us here if we don't move…"

Dawnpelt looked up at him, eyes wide and she finally cried at him. "No! We have to go down there and get to her!"

Pain seared through Darkfire, he wondering if Tawnypelt's claws had actually scratched him or not. Maybe the emotional pain of this idea was affecting him physically as well, but Darkfire didn't know. "We can't just sit here! She's gone!" Darkfire argued, looking down the ravine, feeling terrified. "I… I killed her… It's my fault…" Dawnpelt looked down the ravine again at Darkfire's words, her sniffling filling Darkfire's stomach with dread as it twisted and writhed. Turning away, Darkfire slowly began to let his mind drift to his thoughts again.

 _I should've killed Dawnpelt too…_

 _That wouldn't make this any easier…_

 _Nothing makes this easy… I have to find another way…_

 _Give up, Darkfire._

 _No… Mother wanted this, she deserves to see her vision become reality…_

 _Are you so sure?_

Darkfire shook his head, finding himself unable to come up with an answer for the question. His claws dug into the stone - or tried to - as Darkfire looked up at Rowanclaw. The dark cat had turned his back to them already, he was slow, padding away towards the cave they had been using. There was nothing Darkfire could say or do that would make this situation any better, he would let them grieve. It was the best he could do, and he brushed his tail along Dawnpelt's shoulder as he walked away. Darkfire's paws barely carried him forward, he continuing to argue back and forth with himself about what he should do.

Upon entering the small cave, Darkfire could see that Rowanclaw had curled up in Tawnypelt's sleeping spot. Her scent would be there, and it may be the last place that Darkfire could think would hold Tawnypelt's scent. Back home, her scent from her moss bed would already be growing stale, and this would be just one last chance to have Tawnypelt close by again.

"Rowanclaw… I'm sorry…" Darkfire whispered, padding closer, only to find that Rowanclaw had flipped to his paws and hissed at him.

"Stay away, murderer!" Rowanclaw hissed, his teeth bared and pristine, reflecting the bright world outside. "I have nothing to say to you for killing her! I can see her blood on your paws!" Darkfire blinked and finally looked down at his paws, realizing they were sticky with blood. "I should kill you for killing her, rogue, but I think Blackstar would leave a more fitting punishment for someone of your crimes."

"It wasn't his fault…"

The voice had been Dawnpelt's and Darkfire turned to look at her. Her pelt was covered in snow, she looked cold and her gaze remained down. "I heard everything," she continued. "Tawnypelt was accusing him of so much, Darkfire only defended himself…"

 _That means you heard nothing of importance,_ Darkfire thought to himself. A part of him relaxed at the thought that Dawnpelt was defending him now, even if he knew that deep down, she would hate him. _We had gotten along so well in the forest, Dawnpelt…_ Darkfire wanted to speak to her heart, but he felt himself arguing again. _She is prey! Nothing more!_

"Dawnpelt…" Darkfire whispered, wondering if his voice felt torn between the two extremes his mind was thrusting into him. On one paw, there was this idea that Dawnpelt may redeem him for the sin he committed. On the other paw was this idea that Tawnypelt deserved the death she had been given, the purpose of her death was nothing but for Hollyleaf. Hollyleaf would be proud of Darkfire, he suspected. _Am I proud of myself?_ He thought quietly, his gaze remaining on Dawnpelt.

Her gaze met his own, behind what had once been beautiful happiness was now a dull hatred. It was hard to tell if that hate was directed at him, but Darkfire didn't want to find out.

"We should head out once the snow clears up…" Darkfire said quietly. "I think this mission is over…" Neither Dawnpelt nor Rowanclaw argued against him, Darkfire hearing Rowanclaw shuffle in his small little hole before laying down. Dawnpelt turned away from Darkfire and laid down beside Rowanclaw, both of them were unnervingly still. "Dawn… pelt…" Darkfire's voice only let out air, no vocalization to back up the sound.

Slipping away slowly, he laid down beside the wall of the cavern, closing his eyes. When sleep did come, Darkfire had no clue of how much time had passed.

 _ **Linebreak**_

"You have done just as your mother would've wanted," a voice whispered in Darkfire's ear. Water filled his nose and covered his body, he unable to breathe, but the liquid was thick. "But you have failed to kill the other one, you could have killed them both and be done with it."

Darkfire waited a moment until his head was above water. Opening his eyes, he looked around and noticed that there wasn't a single cat surrounding him and he growled a bit. "I couldn't have," he wanted to fight back against this invisible force that held him, kept him tied up like he was on a leash. "If I had killed both, then Rowanclaw would have killed me… or tried to. Then Shadowclan would never trust me!"

There was a slight pause, one that Darkfire didn't find to bode well for him.

"You are entertaining," the she-cat's voice meowed slowly, laughter hiding in the echoes. "Darkfire, you follow a path your mother knows quite well. Your destiny is with her, to be just like her, to follow your blood and be expected to continue on that path until the day you perish. Remember that talk with momma? The death talk?" A _mrrow_ of laughter interrupted for a moment. "That death is never the end, but let me tell you something, Darkfire. Starclan doesn't exist, not like they used to. They are nothing but a shattered world of ice, frozen in time and space and blind to the truth of the dead like me. We don't disappear from existence. We go to this place, in hopes that you can free us."

Darkfire found himself by a pool, it was filled with light from a full moon overhead of himself and his black fur was freshly washed. He suddenly felt this clean sensation grip at his fur, tugging gently upon it and an enlightening idea course through his mind. There was no need to harm Dawnpelt, she had suffered by watching her own mother fall to her death.

"Dawnpelt doesn't need to die," Darkfire smiled a bit as he looked at his darkened yellow eyes in the water. "She can be fine, she can be used for my alibi. I'll need one, after all. Blackstar won't like that one of his warriors has passed away due to unfortunate circumstances. Dawnpelt is my only link to remain within Shadowclan."

"It is good that you are thinking, Darkfire," the she-cat spoke once more, a pelt brushing up against Darkfire's but there remained to be nothing there. "It shouldn't be long, and I'm sure you'll see much very soon. A certain three-colored cat is coming to the clans in the coming moons, he isn't done with you and you aren't done with him."

Darkfire nodded lightly, the idea of listening to the voice was a pleasing one, and one he might follow for the purpose of having a guide be with him. Without Hollyleaf, Darkfire had no guide to bring him through to his destiny. A part of him felt relieved, his fur finally relaxing as he looked around in the forest of fog where all his dreams took him. Not a single dream took place away from here anymore. Many moons ago did Darkfire have dreams of becoming a warrior with his brother, but his brother wasn't with him anymore. No, Dewstep was with Windclan as far as Darkfire knew.

"What should I do when I see him?" Darkfire asked, finding his gaze looking down as if he had bowed to the dark force that had stood before him. He couldn't see the she-cat, but she was standing there, right on the surface of the water. Darkfire found it wasn't water at all, but it was thick and red and flowed quickly like a river downstream.

"Go and help him…" the she-cat whispered, almost like Hollyleaf had when Darkfire was very small and very scared. "Then you can be free of the madness of the clans…"

 _ **Linebreak**_

Darkfire slowly sat up in his small bed at the edge of the cavern, the snow had finally melted as the next day continued and the sun had been on the white blanket since dawn. Having dawn enter his mind brought Darkfire's gaze over to Dawnpelt, who had been sitting near the entrance where Tawnypelt had sat before and tried to kill Darkfire. The thought that Dawnpelt might try and kill Darkfire as well brought something else coursing through him.

Rage? No, his fur didn't bristle and his eyes weren't narrowed.

Fear? No, his heart wasn't pacing unevenly and he didn't breathe shallowly.

Regret?

Darkfire shook his head and he took a deep breath. No, there was no regret in killing Tawnypelt, she deserved it. That's what Hollyleaf had said, and Darkfire knew that Hollyleaf wouldn't lie to him, not if something like this was going to happen. She had prepared him for this, this was going to be nothing to him in the future.

 _At least I didn't have to watch Tawnypelt literally splatter across the stone,_ Darkfire thought, imagining how large the blood puddle would've been. Even her actual pelt… The thought made Darkfire shiver and he stood up, padding over to Dawnpelt.

Her cream pelt was sticking up in odd places and her dull gaze remained on the snow. No longer did she seem like she had been before, the way she smiled and purred and Darkfire now felt as if he missed something. This didn't feel right, Dawnpelt wasn't herself anymore and Darkfire could tell, whether he knew this was right or not.

"We have to get going before we are hit by another snowstorm…" Darkfire meowed quietly, his voice barely working with him not understanding why. "Get Rowanclaw… We need to head home…" Dawnpelt didn't nod or acknowledge his existence, just stood up and turned around as her tail dragged across the ground and her ears drooped. Darkfire hated that look, he didn't like that Dawnpelt was upset this way.

 _Nothing like this can be fixed in a single day,_ Darkfire reminded himself. _She will come around eventually, everyone normally does. Dawnpelt lost her brother already, she only has one left and now her mother is gone too. Maybe my meddling didn't help…_

Rowanclaw and Dawnpelt soon returned as Darkfire realized he was staring out into the snow with his thoughts continuing to threaten to rip his head apart using claws made of pure thorns. His head hurt but Darkfire did his best to ignore the feeling that gripped at both his head and heart.

 _This isn't right…_

 _Yes it is…_

"I'm sorry…" Darkfire whispered and glanced at Dawnpelt, finally seeing her eyes reach his. The hate was gone from her eyes, she was just upset and he looked away, head down now. There wasn't a response, just her eyes filled with glossy tears.

The image remained in Darkfire's mind all the way back to the lake...

 _Authors Note_

 _Not my favorite chapter to write but I still enjoyed it. Dont forget to leave a review and follow this story if you enjoy it!_


	17. Chapter 16

The mid-morning sun remained warm against Dewstep's cool fur, the first sign of a fulfilling green-leaf season that would last a few weeks more. He sat directly outside the den he had currently been staying in, not knowing whether he would be commended as a true warrior of Thunderclan or not. Bramblestar had not gone up to him during the past night, but he did spend the rest of the night awake with Ivypool, who had been fairly interested in Dewstep.

Talking to her was hard, especially since she wanted to know more about his past than anything else. It had begun to make Dewstep fearful, he didn't want to say anything about Hollyleaf, nor did he enjoy the idea of lying to the nice she-cat. She was one of the few to make any effort to get to know him and she had been very nice to him.

 _I don't enjoy lying to her,_ Dewstep thought to himself, remembering the reflective droplets from the crystal clear lake dripping off her paw and back into the water. _After our talk, she deserves far better than those simplistic explanations I gave to her. I'm sorry I can't tell you…_ He noticed that Ivypool had come out of the warriors den, stretching directly within the sunlight before her sister came out with her. They laughed about something, Dewstep couldn't hear what for from the position he had been sitting at. Nor was it his business, he believed.

 _I also don't enjoy this mission… This place is filled with happiness… What was I thinking when I first arrived?_ Dewstep thought, looking at his paws. _Maybe I hoped to be a hero to the clans, but if I were to…_ fix _them now, I wouldn't seem that way, right? I'm no hero… This place belongs to the clans, not to me. Not to Darkfire._

Looking up towards the sun, he narrowed his eyes. _I'm staying here, this is my new family. I worked hard to get here, I want this to be my new home. Hollyleaf can do without me, and if she wants to fix these clans…_ Tail flicking, he looked up towards the leader's den, no longer with narrowed eyes. _She can fix them herself, instead of hiding in another forest, hiding away from her brothers and from the clan she was raised in. This place… I can feel the energy flow through it like a river, but it isn't negative._

 _You're learning…_

The voice scared Dewstep and he flinched, glancing around quickly for the soft voice that had spoken to him. There was not a single cat around him, no one who could've spoken to him. It was a tom, but even the closest cats didn't have a voice like that. _It is probably just my imagination,_ Dewstep thought as he stretched his fore paws, claws gently scraping the edge of the rock.

After this, he slowly went down into the clearing and grabbed a small piece of fresh-kill - a mouse - and went over to the edge of the clearing as he waited for further instruction from either Squirrelflight or another warrior. None of the rest had spoken to him yet, but he could hear their whispers now that he was actually in the clearing. They spoke about how they questioned Bramblestar's idea of having Dewstep join the clan. About how Dewstep could really be a spy. But then there was something else, deep in the background, there was a bright orange cat the color of flames with eyes as vibrant green as the Windclan plains.

The cat was somewhat recognizable, at first Dewstep thought it was Firepaw. But no, she was by the apprentices den and chatting up the rest of the apprentices. This cat was also a tom, not a she-cat, like Dewstep had originally believes. He was much bigger than the average she-cat, although not as big as Bramblestar had been.

Dewstep kept his gaze in that direction for a while before blinking. In that flash, the orange tom had disappeared, though not without a bright smile towards Dewstep.

Then there was smoke entering through Dewstep's nostrils, his nose filled with this scent as lightning cracked through the sky. He was surrounded by nothing but dark trees and an empty clearing. Upon further looking around, he noticed he wasn't alone. Two blackened figures were nearby, one had eyes as bright and as yellow as the sun, but much more menacing. The second figure had dark green eyes, but it seemed to be more behind the one with yellow.

Fire burst behind Dewstep, he turning around only to realize he was facing the rock wall of the clearing. Shaking his head, he turned around and was glad to see that no other cat had taken note of what he had been looking at. _Thank Starclan,_ Dewstep thought to himself as he finished up his mouse.

One she-cat began to pad over, her pelt glossy and freshly groomed. "Dewstep!"

"Ivypool?" Dewstep looked up to see the she-cat standing in front of him, not very far from him. "What is it?" Tilting his head, he could hear the softest purr escape from Ivypool's throat.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go hunting," she asked, the purr residing deep in her throat and barely audible. Dewstep stood up and found himself smiling again.

"Sure," he replied as he stretched his tail. "I would like to ask, did you get permission from Squirrelflight first?" Ivypool had nodded and Dewstep found himself relieved. "Alright, where are we going?"

Ivypool thought for a moment. "Why not try near the lake then go up the Shadowclan border? No one has hunted on that side of the territory in a while."

"May I come with you both?"

Another she-cat had padded up behind Ivypool, she having been an entirely gray rather than tabby and her glowing eyes rested on Ivypool. The air felt thick with an almost instant tension, one that Dewstep felt he didn't want to get in the middle of.

"Alright," Ivypool responded with a cold tone that almost froze Dewstep in place. "We are heading to the Shadowclan border, follow us then." Dewstep fell in line behind Ivypool and the other she-cat. "It may be better if we split up," Dewstep heard Ivypool speak. "I can help Dewstep get a bit more acquainted with the territory."

 _What is she trying to say to Dovewing?_ Dewstep thought to himself as Dovewing slowly nodded with a bright smile, oblivious to the way her sister was acting. _Or maybe she can tell that Ivypool is acting cold and has decided not to say anything or show any reaction?_ Dewstep found that a better of an explanation, even he, as a tom, understood that Ivypool was up to something and obviously didn't want Dovewing involved.

"Alright, Ivypool!" Dovewing let out some sort of sly purr, giving Ivypool a look that only the two sisters would've known what it could have meant. Dewstep didn't know either of them well enough to distinguish looks, but he felt that Dovewing seemed to make fun of Ivypool, whose tail flicked across the leaf clutter of the forest floor. The crisp green leaves would soon fade to a dusty orange and brown as the season shifted onto the next. Maybe not much farther until then, and Dewstep enjoyed the season of leaf-fall. If it wasn't for the sickness and short days, as well as the little amount of fresh-kill to be caught, leaf-bare would have been his favorite season. The snow reminded him of the stars in the sky during the day, puffy but crunchy under his pawsteps.

Ivypool turned to Dewstep and let out a slight purr. "Let's go on a hunt, then!"

Turning and stalking down the narrow slope, Dewstep followed the tabby she-cat, her white paw steps turning a bit brown with the dirt. It reminded Dewstep of spraying the dirt all over the white of her tabby pelt, and he snickered at the thought.

"Don't you dare get my pelt dirty again!" Ivypool hissed playfully at him before her ears perked and she twisted her head towards the right. In between two trees was a plump brown mouse, having not seen or heard the two cats yet. The crystal clear blue eyes turned to Dewstep and she whispered quietly. "I haven't seen you hunt, so go for it."

Dewstep purred softly and quietly, glad to have a chance to use his skills in the world of the warriors. This place felt natural to him, the green trees above him that covered most of the sky and let little light in. What little natural light that did come through the forest could be seen by the naked eye, beautiful in every shape and form that Dewstep could think of.

Starting with the hunter's crouch, Dewstep slowly crept forward, the mouse unknowing that the gray cat was lurking in its very shadow. As soon as Dewstep was close enough, he slowly got into a pounce position, his body flexing and shifting naturally and without a singular fault.

 _Hollyleaf taught me well,_ Dewstep thought to himself with a smile.

Leaping into the air, the mouse looked up and had tried to run as soon as it saw the black silhouette of Dewstep. By the time it realized it was being attacked, the fate of the mouse had been decided and the teeth in Dewstep's mouth snapped its neck with no effort. There was no squeal, no terror. Just a swift death. Dewstep knew not to play with his prey.

"You're very good!" Dewstep heard Ivypool meow from nearby, she having popped out of the bushes after watching him. "Although those hunting moves are rather recent, didn't you say your mother was from the old forest?"

Dewstep's heart pounded against his chest. _Oh no! Wasn't I doing a simple hunter's pounce!?_ Dewstep's ears flicked a bit but he showed no sign of fear.

"Nevermind," Ivypool purred. "Either way, you are very good at hunting. Bramblestar will want to hear of this." She blinked a bit and tilted her head. "Squirrelflight and Lionblaze said you did very well fighting in the training patch the other day, right? They said you had moves that surprised even them! Mind fighting me?"

A part of Dewstep didn't want to fight unless he had to, the thrill of the training had been fun but what if he hurt Ivypool? Shaking his head, he set the mouse down and spoke. "Not today, I think I wrenched my shoulder catching that mouse," he lied, the lie itself flowing smoothly off his tongue. "Doesn't hurt much," he added quickly.

Ivypool's eyes turned wide. "You should go see Jayfeather, then! I can't have my friend hurting himself so soon after arriving here!" Then her gaze narrowed as she stood and brushed her pelt directly against his, whiskers slightly brushing his ear. "Unless you lied because you're afraid you can't beat me," she whispered, a slight tone of challenge in her voice that forced a shiver from Dewstep's body, the fur on his spine standing up. "I can tell when you lie, it's all in the eyes, Dewstep," she purred as she pulled away and got into an attack position. "Come on! The clans haven't had a fight in a long time and I won't have an apprentice for a long time!"

There was a slight hesitation before Dewstep buried the fresh-kill and stood a couple fox-lengths away from her. "Alright, but I was taught to fight from birth, so don't expect this to be easy."

"I never do."

There was a flash of emotion through the she-cat's eyes, Dewstep crouching slowly and moved into a defensive stance, his left flank exposed to Ivypool on purpose. This brought her in quickly and Dewstep found that Ivypool was quick. _Not quick enough,_ Dewstep smirked slightly and ducked, Ivypool flipping over him and her paws went to strike his back legs. _No one will be quicker than me,_ Dewstep whipped his paws up and smacked her in the face. He had thought that he had hurt her far more than he intended, even if his claws had been sheathed.

A slight pause before Ivypool looked up and her eyes glowed with amusement. "I'm not going down that easily, Dewstep," she purred as she swiped forward quickly. Dewstep could see her claws were sheathed as well, and he jumped above her claws. He landed in a set of leaves within the tree, his pelt covered by the thick branches. "Now that's not fair!" Ivypool laughed as Dewstep bounced on the branch and leaves fell into her face. Taking the chance now that she was distracted, he jumped to another tree with the grace and silence of a falling leaf.

When Ivypool finally recovered, she looked around and tried to find Dewstep's scent. Her gaze continued to look around but she couldn't find the source, Dewstep knew, and he creeped to the edge of the branch.

For a moment, he could see his mother, her beauteous green eyes shining up at him with pride. _Your small body won't shield you from attacks, but your speed will. You will not be touched, no matter who you fight, no matter where you go. Dewpaw, you're shaping along nicely._ Hearing Hollyleaf's encouragement made Dewstep forget what he was doing for a moment, then he realized that Ivypool had spotted him and pounced up, knocking him off the branch and making him land in the dirt.

Before he could get up, Dewstep found himself flattened by Ivypool, who purred.

"I win!" She cried out to the trees, startling several birds that took off into the sky.

"Hey!" A newcomer growled a bit and appeared from the bushes, three other cats behind him. The cat was a long-legged black tom, his amber eyes glaring at them. "We were hunting those birds!" he growled at them, Ivypool getting off Dewstep and lowering her head. Amusement lit up her gaze and Dewstep could tell she didn't care.

"I'm sorry, Spiderleg," she smiled awkwardly and Dewstep slowly got up, looking at Spiderleg. Behind Spiderleg was a pale gray tom with black stripes along his body. Beside that tom was a ginger she-cat and a dark cream colored she-cat. "How is hunting?"

Spiderleg growled at her before looking at the sky. "It was going great until you scared those birds." Ivypool snickered, happy as if she was back in her apprentice days. "Something funny?" Spiderleg turned his gaze back to the tabby cat and Ivypool shook her head, trying to suppress a smile. "Then go find more prey instead of hanging around here play-fighting! You aren't kits!" That was when Dewstep realized there was also amusement in Spiderleg's eyes, he turning and leading the patrol away and back into the undergrowth.

Once the patrol disappeared, a weight shoved into Dewstep and a paw was placed against his chest. "I win! You must now change my bedding every day and put burrs in my sisters pelt while she sleeps!" Ivypool purred and Dewstep grinned a bit.

Twisting, he writhed out of her grip with incredible strength and shoved her down. "Nope, I can't let a she-cat like you best me in a fight!" Dewstep laughed. "I may be small, but I think I deserve a redo on our fight."

"No!" Ivypool tried to pull away from him but was laughing too hard, all her strength going to her laughter. Her voice was sweet like nectar, and Dewstep got off her, ears perked as he enjoyed the sound. It wasn't long until she stopped and got up and onto her paws. "Can you at least put burrs in my sisters pelt? She is a pain in the tail sometimes!" Ivypool purred and pointed to the pile of dirt with her tail. "Get your fresh-kill, I'll go catch something for Spiderleg." She disappeared under the bushes and Dewstep couldn't help but purr.

Turning away, he dug up the mouse and found a familiar scent wafting over him. Dewstep was close to the Shadowclan border, and a black pelt came from the other side, yellow eyes setting upon Dewstep.

"Darkfire?" Dewstep tilted his head and padded over, keeping to Thunderclan's side of the border. He could barely recognize his brother. "Darkfire! I see Shadowclan has accepted you!" There was a long gash against Darkfire's shoulder, though it was more of a scar than it was a bloody scratch now.

His yellow eyes lifted up, at first filled with an emotionless stare before happiness glittered through them. "Dewstep… I see Windclan didn't take your visit too kindly? Is Thunderclan treating you well?"

Dewstep couldn't help but purr and he nodded. "I was accepted," he replied. "I like it here, everyone working together and catching prey… Don't you love the clans, Darkfire?" Dewstep couldn't contain his happiness.

"We are here to restore them, nothing more," Darkfire looked away. No happiness remained within his eyes. No amusement. Nothing but the emotionless stare from before. "Don't get too attached, you know that when I am done here, you will lead the clans. Not I."

"L-Lead them?" Dewstep flinched a bit at the thought and shook his head. "Darkfire, I'm sorry, I can't… The warrior code binds me, and I don't see any code-breakers. Our mother would be proud to even see the clans this way!"

Darkfire brought his gaze back to Dewstep again.

"You have forgotten our mission."

There was the sound of rustling bushes as Ivypool came out and noticed Darkfire. In her mouth was a fat squirrel, which was quickly dropped as she growled. "Stick away from our territory."

Darkfire looked at her and a sudden knowing seemed to wash over his eyes, Dewstep could see it clearly. He didn't know what it was, however.

"No worries," Darkfire responded coldly. "I am Dewstep's brother, it is nice to meet you. We were just catching up."

Ivypool blinked and tilted her head very slightly, almost unnoticeable. "Dewstep's brother? So you must be… Darkfire?" Darkfire nodded. "I see," Ivypool replied slowly, seeming to take in that Darkfire was almost twice Dewstep's size. "Well, if Shadowclan ever needs any help, I'm sure Dewstep can easily convince Bramblestar to help Blackstar."

"Sure," Darkfire continued speaking with ice lining his tongue.

 _What happened to you, brother?_ Dewstep thought to himself as he shrugged. "Well, we better get going. I hope you live happily within Shadowclan, Darkfire. May Starclan light your path."

"May Starclan light yours as well, Dewstep. Be safe."

It was hard to imagine that Darkfire could say that with as frigid a voice as he did and Dewstep could feel it like the burning leaf-bare wind that had flowed through the training grounds of Tanglewood. He could remember the warmth that Darkfire used to talk to Dewstep with, the brotherly bond they once shared.

"You shouldn't talk to Shadowclan cats," Ivypool spoke softly as they gathered their prey and left. "Even if your brother is among them now. They are our enemy throughout all the seasons, and they are stubborn."

"A perfect place for my brother, but not for me," Dewstep replied as he gave a glance to Ivypool. She seemed to smile. "I know I may fight my brother in battle over boundaries one day, I'm prepared for that, our mother taught us all we needed to know about our weaknesses and strengths. I feel that not many could match up to the skills we were once taught."

Ivypool purred once more, relief flooding through Dewstep. "We shall see," Ivypool looked back ahead with a smile. "A long time ago, the clans had to band together to fight off a great evil. I was trained by that great evil, but my sister told me the truth and I found out later what had really been going on. Do you know what The Dark Forest is, Dewstep?" He shook his head, Hollyleaf only spoke of Starclan. "It is a place where evil cats go when they die, and they found a way to breach the barrier between there and the real world. They recruited many cats, and I was one. Although I didn't know at the time that what I was doing was going against my clanmates, I soon learned. I have the training of the Dark Forest at my claws, you have a cat from the old forest with the old training style. However, you are fast and strong. I admire that and I have a feeling you'd make a good partner."

Then there was a quiet moment as Ivypool sucked a breath between her teeth, her gaze frantically looking away. "I mean… I… You'd make a good sparring partner!" Ivypool darted ahead. "Race you to the hollow!"

Dewstep blinked and began to chase her. "No fair! You bolted ahead!"

 _Weird…_ Dewstep thought as he raced after the beautiful tabby pelt, only three fox-lengths ahead of him. _Of course I thought she meant sparring partner, what else could she mean?_

Dewstep found his thoughts wandering to Darkfire.

 _Where has Darkfire been this whole time? He reeked of regret and pain, he didn't seem to care that he saw me… Is Shadowclan in trouble?_


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The clan had gathered below Highledge, where Bramblestar had stood before the clan with a small smile. Dewstep could tell he was excited for the event of the gathering tonight, although Dewstep himself doubted he would end up going. He was still new to the clan, to the life he had now chosen for himself. Nothing wrong happened within the clan as far as he could tell, and he was already making new friends amongst the clanmates.

Nearby sat Ivypool, whose eyes had been shining brighter than Dewstep could've imagined. He felt himself begin to stare and looked away, although he couldn't help but admire the pretty she-cat from where he was. Beside Ivypool had been Dovewing, who whispered something unintelligible to Dewstep.

"All cats going to the gathering tonight will be Spiderleg."

The black cat perked his ears up happily, a smile stretching across his face as small gray fur protruded from beside his whiskers.

"Ivypool and Dovewing will join, along with Graystripe, Sandstorm and Lionblaze. Redstrike and Cinderheart will join as well." Bramblestar looked around the clan, his gaze resting on the apprentices. "Firepaw and Shadepaw will go to the gathering, as well as Dewstep."

Dewstep's heart froze in place, heart pumping with both the anxiety and excitement of an apprentice on his first outing. Would the clans accept him, even though he was an outsider amongst them? Leopardstar might, she had invited them in at the beginning of their trek across the clans, only to be truly stopped by her senior warriors. Dewstep could imagine the old cat watching him now, her bright eyes glittering with a sort of amusement that Dewstep was invited into Thunderclan. A clan notorious for taking in the strays and loners and the occasional kittypet.

Stormpaw was one such kittypet, Dewstep learned of the kittypet's stray origins only days before, having been met by Bramblestar during some sort of flood. Looking around he noticed that Jayfeather remained by his den, the blind cat had his eyes narrowed and seemed to be staring at Bramblestar. There was a brief moment where he turned his head, Jayfeather's eyes almost looking at Dewstep. A grunt left the cat, and Dewstep wondered if Jayfeather knew he was looking.

Turning his head away, he heard the patter of pawsteps come towards him.

"I'm so excited!" Ivypool's voice covered the whispers of the rest of the clan, Dewstep hearing his own name once or twice amongst the whispers. Most seemed weary, but Dewstep kept his focus on Ivypool. "I'm glad you get to go to the gathering!" Ivypool purred, her tail very slightly raised, her ears perked and her eyes glittering with the midday light pouring into the clearing.

"I'm excited too!" Dewstep meowed in response, purring along with Ivypool. "My mother used to tell me about gatherings up on the largest and lowest branches, she said it was great to interact with the clans. As long as there wasn't a war going on, anyways."

Dewstep felt something itch at the back of his mind, he felt as if someone was watching. Upon glancing around, he caught Bramblestar's eye, he smiling and giving the wave of his tail, knowing the clearing was too loud to have actually said something. The large cat gave Dewstep a small smile, but something remained hidden in the amber eyes of the tabby.

His attention focused back on Ivypool as he purred again. "I hope there won't be any troubling news," Dewstep continued, but was now feeling a nagging sensation that pricked at his pelt. Forcing away the sensation, he thought it was just anxiety from the thought of being around so many cats on a small island. No, it was nothing more than that, he knew it.

"I doubt it, the clans have been well conservative in the past moons and haven't bothered fighting one another since Bramblestar added a new rule to the warrior code!" Ivypool purred again and Dewstep's ears flicked. _A new rule in the warrior code? Can a cat just do that?_ He thought to himself before looking back up towards the ledge.

Bramblestar had disappeared.

"What was the rule?" Dewstep inquired.

"That a clan must put aside their grievances, to set aside their pride, and ask for help from other clans if an outside force comes to harm us!" Ivypool looked rather proud, her eyes looking up towards the leader's den. "He may not have welcomed you officially to the clan, but I'm certain he will let you sleep in the warriors den tonight. You fight and hunt like a real warrior, and I'm quite certain you've been very loyal to the clan." A darkness beset her gaze for a brief moment, but it was clouded in memory, not a current emotion. "Especially since you always take the apprentices jobs, they really appreciate it. Except for Firepaw! She's always looking to helping around the clan." She leaned in. "Between you and me, I'm certain she wishes to be a medicine cat."

Dewstep laughed at the idea. Firepaw may have been small but she had muscle to back up her body. She definitely compared with Dewstep, and if it wasn't for Dewstep's experience, he felt she would destroy him.

"She's a strong cat," Dewstep responded when he was done laughing. "But enough about that, I think I better rest before the gathering tonight…"

"I'll show you where you sleep then!" Ivypool darted to the warriors den, enough energy in her paws that Dewstep couldn't help but laugh as he bolted after her and into the den. There was an empty moss nest near the entrance, Ivypool padding over it and pressing her paw against it. "This moss bedding here is yours. New warriors always-"

"-sleep near the entrance," Dewstep finished for her, smiling as he stood on the soft green moss. "The older warriors like to be warm near the back and center. I know." Ivypool looked stunned for a moment before laughing.

Her eyes remained as bright as the stars. "Sweet dreams, Dewstep," she said softly. "I have a lot of energy, but if you like, when I get back from a hunting trip, I'll sleep next to you."

"That would be wonderful," Dewstep responded as Ivypool squeezed past him and ran to the entrance. She caught up with the hunting party as soon as they were at the entrance of the hollow and said something, but Dewstep felt himself fading away as he laid down in the nest. He felt oddly tired, unknowing of what he would find in his dreams.

 _ **Linebreak**_

His eyes opened to the darkness of a cave, the sounds of hissing coming from behind him as little mewls of desperation grasped his ears. Quickly twisting around, Dewstep felt ready to face any threat, anywhere. No matter if it be badger or twoleg, dog or cat, he had his claws unsheathed and scraping the stone underneath him. There was nothing that he could see for the moment before bright moonlight washed through the cavern entrance.

Two little bodies mewled, one was very weak, a little gray kitten with a white paw. The kits hadn't opened their eyes yet, they must've been born not very long ago.

The black cat from a dream long ago stood in front of the kits, hissing and spitting at a silhouette on the opposite side of the entrance. A bright white smile made Dewstep shiver as amber eyes watched the mother and her kits. Once more was he thrust into the dream where Hollyleaf was terrified of something, a dream he would've forgotten, left to the sands of time if he never saw this dream again.

"Again" wasn't the term Dewstep looked for, this wasn't the same dream from before. This was the continuation, but not the same one. Then Dewstep noticed Hollyleaf's black pelt, matted and torn at, scrapes where she had bitten and clawed at herself in anxiety and self-hatred. He could feel the hatred now, another presence entering the caves but Dewstep didn't want to look behind him.

"I'm happy to see you again," the silhouetted cat smirked as he stood up, his voice as slick as the frozen ice just outside the cave, snow following soon after. "Oh, dear Hollyleaf, I know you must believe yourself unimportant to the clans, but you can save yourself."

The black cat hissed and spat. "No! I can't go back! Not after what I did!"

"You did nothing wrong," the cat slowly padded out of the shadows. His pelt now revealed by the moonlight, Dewstep could make out the features of a calico male cat. _I've never seen one before,_ Dewstep thought to himself, having seen a couple calico females stray into the territory of his family a few times. Nothing beyond that, however. "You told the truth at the gathering," the cat continued to speak.

Hollyleaf hissed. "Stay away from me and my kits! They will not be affected by you!"

The cat seemed genuinely hurt by her remark and he shook his head. "I wouldn't dream of hurting your kits, Hollyleaf… In fact, I wanted to help you-"

"I don't need your help, Sol!" she growled.

 _Sol… Why does that name sound familiar?_ Dewstep thought to himself, the name not ringing any alarms but he knew it should have. The calico male took a step forward before sitting down with a small smile.

"Oh, _contraire,_ Hollyleaf," he continued with that same smile. Dewstep hated that smile and he didn't even know the cat. He didn't know Sol, not like Hollyleaf did. "You do need help," Sol continued when Hollyleaf went silent, her gaze locked on him and her body sticking near her kits. Now Dewstep could also notice that she was thin, as if she had barely been eating. "Those kits are your lifeline to the clans. If you won't go back, maybe they can go in your place. The clans will need kits like them, the ones who have a strong mother that can teach them their ways."

"Just cut to the chase, Sol."

The voice wasn't Hollyleaf's, but that of another warrior, who had remained hidden in the shadows with her eyes closed. A pelt slowly appeared in the moonlight, eyes as red as blood appearing before Hollyleaf and Sol. Hollyleaf growled lowly in the dark light, the red eyes shifting closer until a dark gray tabby with black stripes appeared. The newcomer padded forward with the same smile Sol had.

"Hollyleaf," the cat's voice was soft as she crouched with her paws tucked beneath her. Her paws were a jet black, but Dewstep could just imagine how red they could've been from bloody battles. "Your kits are destined to save the clans… they will lead them, bring them together… All Sol wants is to see the clans thrive…"

Hollyleaf's green gaze kept steady towards the red-eyed newcomer. "Who are you?" she growled quietly as her body got into an attack pounce. Her claws had unsheathed, a couple claws missing from her full set, never having grown back.

"I am a friend, Hollyleaf," the cat smiled. "Starclan sent me to help you, though they no longer watch these skies… You are beneath the ancient ancestors of the clans, and they sit above you. One day you will see the clans again, Hollyleaf…"

"And I promise they will welcome you back with open paws…"

 _ **Linebreak**_

Dewstep awoke with a gasp and began breathing heavily, a slight tail flick making him jump as it brushed over his paws. A few warriors were still in the den, Ivypool included. Her tail was against his paws and she remained asleep. His gaze rested on her for a moment as he realized he could relax, there was nothing any longer to worry about.

 _They're just dreams…_ Dewstep thought to himself as he stood up and started hearing the call for the warriors going to the gathering. He gently prodded Ivypool, the only one he knew in the den that was currently supposed to go. "You need to get up," Dewstep mumbled, trying to wake up only Ivypool.

It had worked and she groaned as she sat up.

"It's nice to actually get a full night's sleep," she yawned before blinking and her eyes shot open. "Oh, that's right, it's the gathering tonight!" Ivypool got up and smiled at him. "Let's get going! This is supposed to be a great event!" Dewstep heard Bramblestar do a final call and he watched as Ivypool bolted out. _How does she have so much energy?_ Dewstep thought to himself with a small chuckle before heading out after her.

The dream had been forgotten as he followed Ivypool towards the group of warriors, Dewstep keeping close out of a shy nature towards the large group. He had made friends with Squirrelflight, Firepaw, Ivypool and Dovewing, but the rest of the warriors seemed fairly indecisive on his presence. He didn't mind, but being amidst all of them felt different. Even the feeling he had earlier pricked at him, like he put a paw in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He could then hear Jayfeather pad up to Bramblestar.

"I cannot go," he meowed with darkness in an undertone to his voice. "Briarlight is sick again, and I…" There was a slight pause as Dewstep looked over. "I'm sorry, Bramblestar, I cannot leave while my patient is sick…"

"Understood," Bramblestar responded. "I'll be sure to tell Littlecloud why."

The rest of the clanmates seemed to know of something else, but Dewstep didn't know much about Briarlight yet. He had seen her on occasion and heard her yowls from the medicine den, but he didn't know who she was other than the crippled spine. There was sadness in Ivypool's gaze.

"Who is Briarlight…?" Dewstep whispered to her.

Ivypool seemed to think for a moment before speaking, following Bramblestar and the group out of the camp. "Briarlight is one of the bravest warriors I know… When she had just finished her warrior assessment, my sister heard one of the trees in the hollow start to fall. When we left, she chased after Longtail, who had gone back in. We tried to save her, but it was too late." Sadness glazed over Ivypool's eyes, mixed with light pride. "The tree had killed Longtail, but Briarlight was spared death at the cost of the use of her hind legs. Jayfeather discovered he could keep her alive if she kept exercising. It appears she has a cough or an infection, which makes it harder for her to move… To keep her chest clear… She's escaped death from sickness several times, but each time only gets worse…"

"Let me guess…" Dewstep looked at his own paws. "She's run out of luck, hasn't she…?"

"If Jayfeather won't go to the gathering, I believe so…" Ivypool whispered as she looked up towards the stars. "I hope she's okay…"

Dewstep looked up towards the other warriors, finding they hadn't taken long to get to the lake and were now walking along the shore, heading to the island in the far distance.

 _My first gathering…_ Dewstep thought as he took a deep breath. _Hopefully it will be good..._


	19. Chapter 18

_I skipped a chapter for Darkfire just for this special chapter right here, a start to more darkness to come!_

Chapter 18

Shadowclan had been the first to reach the gathering on the island, many of them awaiting their friends amongst the other clans. Darkfire only wished to speak with his brother, his talk with him wasn't satisfying enough on the Shadowclan border. Every part of him wanted his brother to come to Shadowclan, he needed to see that he was wrong. Dewstep was wrong in every which way, the clans needed to be fixed. They needed to be united under one rule, and Darkfire had agreed to take full leadership responsibilities. Dewstep would have to agree with Darkfire, he knew for a fact that Dewstep could never defeat him in combat.

If needed, he would force Dewstep to see that Darkfire's ideals to the end. On the wind came the scent of Riverclan, then Windclan. Of course Thunderclan was the last one to arrive, they paid no heed to the rules of the clans, they should've all arrived near the same time.

Watching the other clans was almost unbearable, however, he smelled a familiar scent from Riverclan. It had been a long time, almost since the last full moon, that Darkfire had last smelled it. Upon turning around, he found a spotted old she-cat whose eyes glistened with something similar to surprise and excitement, mixed in was a little pride.

"Leopardstar," Darkfire bowed his head to her as he finally put the name to the scent. "It is good to see you."

"It is good to see you, Darkfire, was it?" Leopardstar meowed, ears perked. "I'm surprised you joined Shadowclan, they're very picky on choosing warriors."

Darkfire nodded. "I joined at the expense of another of our warriors," he meowed as he looked over towards Rowanclaw. "Tawnypelt died during a mission I was leading as a test. Rowanclaw's grief stricken state made Blackstar doubt his ability to retell the events, while Dawnpelt sided with me, she said her mother was going crazy. Although I don't know if she believes that." Hurt suddenly flowed through Darkfire. "I hope she trusts me…" He whispered without realizing, he knew he didn't want to get close to any cat but he couldn't help himself. Dawnpelt had practically captured his eyes, and he knew he should have killed her along with Tawnypelt. It was too late now.

"I'm sure everyone in Shadowclan will learn to trust you, Darkfire," Leopardstar meowed before padding away to join the other two leaders. Blackstar and Leopardstar looked to be on their last lives, while Onestar just looked as if he was barely eating. Bramblestar didn't sit atop the low branch yet, and Darkfire knew it wouldn't be long before the large leader joined the rest. Thunderclan scent was approaching and very quickly.

The final wave of cats finally entered the clan gathering, intermingling with the rest. Some seemed excited, new apprentices and warriors had been made. Two more cats joined the clans, and a dark tabby caught Darkfire's eye. _That must be Bramblestar,_ he thought as he watched the cat head over towards the medicine cats.

"Hey, Bramblestar!" the Shadowclan medicine cat, Littlecloud, purred, before glancing around. "Where is Jayfeather?"

Bramblestar seemed to pause for a moment before replying. "Briarlight is sick again, and her sickness is becoming more frequent," Bramblestar explained. "We are afraid she is dying, her cycle has started just like that patient of yours."

Littlecloud's eyes widened and he bowed respectfully. "Tell Jayfeather he can have any herbs I can spare. I can't bear to hear that Briarlight has passed away after so long of fighting her crippled state."

The dark tabby bowed both out of respect and gratitude. "I shall tell him, we will need the herbs if you can spare them… I know leaf-bare is coming, leaf-fall is right on the horizon…" Before Littlecloud could reply, Bramblestar jumped up onto the low branch and began conversing with the leaders. They had quite a while before the leaders would truly start the gathering, it seemed, and Darkfire brought his moonlit yellow gaze around the clearing, searching for none other than his brother's small gray pelt and shining green eyes.

He had spotted almost every other cat other than Dewstep, until the familiar voice entered his ears.

"Darkfire! You actually came to the gathering!"

Darkfire turned and spotted the white-pawed warrior and gave a small smile. "Hey there, brother," he replied. "Did you think I wasn't going to come to the first gathering after we joined the clans?" Before he let Dewstep reply, he turned his voice down. "We need to talk," he whispered. "I think it is time we discussed our plan."

"I thought I mentioned this before…" Dewstep mumbled, looking at his paws. "I can't be a part of your plan with Hollyleaf… The clans have changed since she last came here, Darkfire, we can't do anything… They are evolving, even their warrior code is changing already!"

 _What!?_ Darkfire was taken aback by Dewstep's response. Not only because of his unwillingness to cooperate, but the idea that the clans themselves changed the warrior code. "Impossible!" Darkfire growled, rage flaring beneath his pelt. "No clan cat can just change the warrior code! You're lying!" Darkfire lowered his head. "Stay away from me! If you won't help mother, then I will."

Dewstep tried to stop him, eyes glittering with worry, the stars revealing sorrow behind the crystal green gaze. Darkfire was having none of it, and he went towards where Shadowclan was currently sitting. Looking up at the leaders, he heard them call the meeting to a start. He was pretty sure it was Bramblestar.

"Tonight's gathering is a joyous occasion!" Bramblestar began. "Not only have we been free of the Dark Forest for several moons, but we are thriving amongst our respective boundaries! Thunderclan has nothing but good news to share with you!" There was happiness and pride in his gaze. "We have a new warrior amongst our ranks! Dewstep!"

 _He is no true warrior,_ Darkfire thought to himself, tail flicking. He didn't join along as the clans cheered Dewstep's name. The small tom didn't deserve the right to be a warrior amongst the clans, he was unwilling to help them! To _fix_ them! Could he not see the code breaking everywhere he went? Of course he couldn't! Thunderclan was the worst of them all, they must have done something to him. Dewstep used to believe so much in this mission, it was _him_ who convinced Darkfire to continue with this stupid mission in the first place. _That piece of fox-dung… He can rot now, for all I care,_ he thought as he turned his gaze back to the leaders.

Blackstar rose from his position now.

"We have both good and bad news in Shadowclan," he spoke with authority. Sorrow underlined his voice as his paw flicked a leaf off of the branch of the tree. "To start with the bad, we have lost a very valuable warrior. Tawnypelt was on a mission to test our newest warrior in our ranks, and eyewitness account says she fell into a deep trench well beyond our territories. I regret not being able to give a proper burial to our fallen warrior!" _We both know she broke the code on several occasions,_ Darkfire glared at the white leader with the jet-black paws that blended perfectly with the shadows. He looked like a spirit from beyond.

"But Shadowclan remains strong with the newest warrior in our ranks! We welcome Darkfire with open paws! His strength and determination has given our clan plenty of food from his hunts and we find our borders constantly protected by his watchful eye!"

The clans began to cry out his name, and Darkfire smiled, glad to be the center of the attention of the clans. _Is this what it will be like to lead? Is this the feeling I would get if I sat upon the top of that low branch? All these cats under my rule… they will learn the warrior code,_ he continued to smile as the cries of his name died away.

As Leopardstar began her news for the gathering, Darkfire noticed one of his clanmates was missing from the group. Glancing around, he noticed Tigerheart was nowhere nearby, the dark warrior was supposed to be a part of the group.

 _He probably isn't doing anything, but I have to be sure…_ Darkfire thought as he slipped into the bushes with little to no sound.

Appearing out onto the other side of the brambles, he started to glance around, knowing that not much could happen on the island without being spotted by someone else. The only way to not be seen was to stick to the sandy beach of the island, the crystal moonlight in the water lapping gently on the sand.

A scent caught his nose, a Thunderclan she-cat's scent, but Darkfire knew that any scent could be just another older scent. The new scents of the clans would bring up old scents, but his heart tugged at him. This wasn't an old scent, it had to be fresh.

Upon further inspection, he found Tigerheart's scent along with the she-cat's own. Following the trail, he circled the entire island, barely hearing the leaders and almost unable to make out any of the words.

"We have taken our warriors to the next level of training!" Onestar's voice drifted over the trees, weaving around each green leaf and each branch to reach Darkfire's ears. He stopped paying attention, Windclan was more prey to him than anything else. A bunch of rabbit-munchers couldn't be him, he could take them on single-pawed and come out with few scratches, he believed. They may be quick, but one strike from his claws could probably tear their skulls open. Darkfire couldn't tell if he enjoyed the thought or despised it.

Turning a small corner, he noticed two cats sitting at the edge of the lake, each murmuring to the other. The first pelt was familiar, that of a dark brown tabby with dark amber eyes and a torn ear. _Traitor,_ Darkfire wanted to growl, but he kept his silence and crept behind the bushes to listen, ears perked in their direction.

"What do we do…?" the little gray she-cat whispered, her gaze on the water. "We can't keep meeting like this, and I can't take anymore… Tigerheart, we can't see each other, and you know I can't leave Thunderclan…"

There was a slight pause as Tigerheart seemed to ponder an idea but he sighed. "I don't know, Dovewing…" he mumbled. "Leaving my clan would be hard enough, but I do care about you… More than anything, and with my mother gone, the only ones I feel close to are Dawnpelt and Rowanclaw… But… Dawnpelt is becoming more distant and Rowanclaw has been ignoring my attempts to bond with him…"

 _That gave you no rights to leave our clan,_ Darkfire thought as he watched, tail beginning to thrash. _You are both mates, I can tell…_

"Tigerheart…?"

"Yes, Dovewing…?"

"There is something important I must tell you…" Dovewing whispered, trembling lightly. Darkfire's impatience had finally caught up and he padded out from the bushes, both cats jumping and Tigerheart looking terrified out of his fur. "Oh no…" Dovewing whispered.

" _Oh no_ indeed," Darkfire growled. "Tigerheart, what are you don't with this Thunderclan she-cat? I'd certainly hope you aren't in love with her, can I deem myself correct or will Blackstar have to know about this change of events?"

The beachside became quiet, Dovewing slowly lifted herself to her paws and trembled, backing away behind Tigerheart as her tail thrashed. The warrior stood bravely now before Darkfire.

"You don't scare me," Tigerheart growled slowly, as if deciding on his word choice.

"Do I not?" Darkfire growled and padded closer, he being a little larger than Tigerheart. He pressed his face close to Tigerheart's own, he could smell the she-cat on him. "The way I see it, Blackstar doesn't tolerate traitors."

"Says the one who killed my mother," Tigerheart retorted, hatred burning his voice.

 _She deserved it, my own mother knows,_ Darkfire smirked. "I'm certain the fight between your mother and me was an accident. I never meant to kill her." _Lying is getting easier._ "What would she think of you with some Thunderclan she-cat?"

"She isn't just some Thunderclan she-cat!" Tigerheart growled. "Dovewing was the one who saved the clans from the Dark Forest! Dovewing was the one who taught me the value of patience, the one who taught me to love and to give out the truth when it needed to be told! She is no ordinary she-cat, I assure you, Darkfire. But I know exactly who you are, a murderer of both body and soul. Dawnpelt is different because of you and Tawnypelt is gone!" Tigerheart was growling deeply, no clouds to cover the moon.

Darkfire smirked more. "Starclan agrees with me. No clouds in the sky means they agree with me, Tigerheart. Soon, your clan will be against you, and so will Starclan themselves. You are no warrior of Shadowclan, you're a _coward_!"

Tigerheart froze in place and shivered.

"You don't have the heart to leave your family…" Darkfire growled. "Your warrior name does not reflect who you are, if you were a real warrior, you would've had the guts to leave your clan and vow your allegiance to her moons ago. From the scent on this island, you guys meet every moon, on the gathering. I bet if I searched the border with Thunderclan, I'll find your scent and hers."

"Patrols exist," was Tigerheart's only response, but Darkfire could see he was breaking down the warrior's will.

Moving a bit, he padded closer to the she-cat for a moment. "And Dovewing… you have broken the warrior code too, you should leave your clan."

"What do you know of the warrior code, Darkfire?" Tigerheart had turned around and growled. "You joined us barely almost a moon ago, you have no rights to talk to us about the warrior code when you have barely lived under it yourself!"

"I had no choice," Darkfire growled. "I was born outside the clans, someone born on the inside should know better than me." He turned to Tigerheart, eyes a blazing yellow, almost as if the sun had been reborn in his gaze. "A real Shadowclan warrior wouldn't be seeing a cat from another clan, you would deal with what you have in your own clan. You aren't a warrior, Tigerheart, and I'll see to it that you leave Shadowclan - all the clans - personally." The hostile look he got from both cats didn't bother him.

As the three cats became silent, Darkfire heard Bramblestar call the meeting to an end.

"See you in Starclan, Tigerheart," Darkfire growled before heading through the bushes, a few thorns snagging at his pelt.

 _I'll make sure you're gone, permanently,_ Darkfire smirked. The rage that boiled in his blood cooled down to ice, his eyes doing the same. _The clans will never accept you when I'm done. And when I'm done, I won't leave a scrap of your pelt within clan territory. Nothing but a bloody mess in the lake. A drowned body._

Darkfire enjoyed the thought now.

To watch Tigerheart's body slip under the surface of the lake…

It would truly be a sight to behold.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Dewstep felt an irritation continue to jab at his pelt like brambles in a bush, the thorns threatening to tear him apart. Fear scrambled his stomach, even as the clans called out his name in unison. He gave the best smile he could, to show he was proud to be amongst the clans. Although what his brother had said did bother him, he was still just as proud as he should be. Maybe a part of him wasn't as proud as he should've been.

 _I brought him here…_ Dewstep thought to himself as the cheering died away. _I convinced him to come to the clans when he desperately wanted out. Now he has become something and I don't know if I can change it…_ The clans began to cheer Darkfire's name, and Dewstep had to take a moment to step away from the spotlight that was on the black cat.

 _The warrior code is already changing to benefit the clans,_ Dewstep thought as he padded towards the tree that had become a crossing for the clans to the island. It didn't take long for the wind to pick up, ruffling his fur gently. The soft wind seemed as if to promise something more, but Dewstep couldn't just stand by with news that Darkfire was heading deeper and deeper into a darker path. One that Dewstep feared he wouldn't be able to save him from.

"Dewstep? Are you okay?"

The voice made Dewstep almost jump out of his fur, his eyes looking up as he saw Ivypool and her eyes made him freeze. Worry lied behind her eyes, her ears pinned back and her tail lying against the island floor.

"Oh, yes…" Dewstep stumbled over his words out of surprise, his tail flicking gently, unable to contain the sorrow that had leaked out of each of his eyes. Their normally light green color had become darker from the tears, his vision blurry as he tried to wipe his eyes.

"Dewstep…" Ivypool gently padded over as her tail brushed along his. "You can tell me anything, I promise you that…" The she-cat pressed her nose against his ear, Dewstep feeling his paws tremble beneath him, threatening to make him slip and fall into the mixture of sand and dirt.

Shaking his head, Dewstep looked up at the bushes, knowing that was where the gathering would soon end. "I…" Dewstep started and found his throat trying to catch the words that were impossible to grasp with his own paws. Taking a deep breath, he whispered, "We have to be careful… Ivypool, promise me you'll avoid Darkfire at all costs…"

What had followed was a long pause as Ivypool tensed up at Dewstep's words. Ears pinned back, he had hoped she would listen to his advice.

"He is your brother, Dewstep…" Ivypool tilted her head. "Why should I avoid him, other than the fact that he is now a Shadowclan cat…?"

"I have a bad feeling that he is going to do something," Dewstep mumbled as he looked at the full moon in the sky. For a moment, he could feel the pelts of hundreds of cats as they brushed against his pelt, surrounding him… choking him and forcing him to suffocate. They began to cry out, Dewstep's ears falling into a sensitivity, trying to block the sounds. Like claws, the cries continued and forced Dewstep to lower his head and body.

Each pelt was unfamiliar until one stood before him, the orange pelt bright as the green eyes watched him. Dewstep looked up and realized that he had seen this cat before, somewhere not too long ago. Stars glittered at the cat's paws, and he moved swiftly towards a pool of water nearby.

In the reflection was that of the moon, the full moon reflected with pure perfection with no ripples.

Then the tom's nose touched the water, sending ripples that turned the water as red as roses. Maybe much darker, but the moon was no longer whole. Instead, it showed somewhere just before a half-moon, caving in slightly and starting to turn into a crescent moon. In the shape of the moon came a streak of light, Dewstep not knowing what it was.

The tom spoke with a voice filled with warmth, lips moving and the actual voice a heartbeat later, like an echo.

"Blood will make the pools of the moon run red," the tom said quietly, his green eyes filled with sorrow that Dewstep didn't understand. A part of him didn't want to, he had many visions in the past of the future. This was no different. Before he could begin speaking, the tom continued. "When the time comes, you will know. The falling stars of the night will tell you where you need to go."

The flame-colored tom looked at Dewstep one last time before disappearing, leaving nothing but the bloody pool and the moon reflecting in its cool water.

A gentle lapping of waves brought Dewstep back to reality, with almost no time having passed and he looked up at Ivypool. "My brother is dangerous… our mother was a fighter, and so is he… I fear he may one day target you, Ivypool, and I don't want you getting hurt…"

"That's preposterous!" Ivypool smiled as her ears slowly perked. "After all, I have my wonderful tom to protect me, don't I?" She purred softly and Dewstep was absolutely clueless as to what she meant. The look he gave must have told her that he didn't know what she was talking about, and she slowly pressed her nose against his. The movement made Dewstep feel like ice for a moment, then his nose became warm, followed along by the rest of his body. "I can count on you, Dewstep… I know I can…"

A purr rose deep in Dewstep's throat and he let his ears perk back up. "You can count on me," he replied, taking a moment to let this thought sink in.

 _Ivypool is a wonderful she-cat…_ he thought as his eyes closed and their noses remained pressed together with the gentleness of a floating leaf. _I will protect her from my brother, even if it means I must perish for it. I will protect the clans from him, I know I can._

There was a loud call from the center of the island, a voice saying that it was time to go. Bramblestar's own, and Dewstep slowly stood up and gently pulled his nose away with his eyes opened. "It's time to head back, Ivypool," he meowed with a small smile. "Care to walk with me on the way back, then?"

Her dark blue eyes met his light green, and she gave a smile that confirmed his answer.

Dewstep let his tail curl gently around hers, his mind returning to the vision for a moment. _Who is that orange cat? His pelt was so bright… And what did he mean by_ blood will make the pools of the moon run red _?_ Dewstep had new questions that he didn't like, and he forced them away. _I will ponder that later, for now… I have someone else to keep my mind on._

Jumping up on the log with Ivypool, they both turned around to see the Thunderclan cats finally appearing out of the bushes. Bramblestar was last, nudging them up onto the log as Dewstep and Ivypool began to walk across, their pawsteps within synchronization of the other. Purrs left both of them, they each had what they wanted now. To just be with the other.

 _That's what she meant by the perfect partner before racing off…_ Dewstep blinked and looked at Ivypool, who brought her own gaze to him.

"It's about time you two finally came together."

The new voice didn't scare Dewstep this time, and he looked behind them to see that Ivypool's sister, Dovewing, was padding up and closer. On getting near, all three cats slowly jumped off before Dovewing spoke, something in her voice that disturbed Dewstep.

"I see my sister likes the new warrior!" Dovewing purred.

"Back off, he's mine!" Ivypool playfully hissed and swatted Dovewing's ear, who gasped and purred, falling in step beside Ivypool. "Give us some time, it isn't official yet," Ivypool smiled and gave Dovewing a gentle nuzzle as her tail slowly tightened around Dewstep's own. "You okay, Dovewing?"

Her sister seemed rather taken aback by the question and nodded quickly. "Y-Yes! Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?" Dovewing turned away and walked back into the group of clan cats, away from Ivypool and Dewstep now.

"That was… odd…" Ivypool mumbled before smiling towards Dewstep. "Don't worry, I'll sort her out when we get back."

Dewstep's ear flicked. "Go to her now," he smiled back.

"Are… are you sure…?" Ivypool mumbled, ears pressing back and her head lowering. "After our moment, surely you wouldn't want me to leave you so soon?"

Pressing his nose between her ears, Dewstep shook his head. "It's not a matter of wanting you to leave, Ivypool… As much as I would like you to stay, family is far more important. Your sister is hurt, even I could tell, so maybe you should go speak to her. I promise I'll be fine, and if you like, we can share a nest when we get back."

Watching her eyes brighten, Dewstep pulled away and let Ivypool slowly turn around, she beginning to search for Dovewing in the crowd. _Family is more important,_ Dewstep thought once more to himself as he turned towards the forest where Thunderclan territory would be. _Darkfire… Are you doing this for yourself or Hollyleaf now? Can I trust you not to harm Thunderclan?_

The answer to Dewstep's question was no, he could feel it. Darkfire had become unstable, he had seen it for himself, the way Darkfire had spoken to him to the way Darkfire's eyes watched with distrust. Something had happened to the tomcat, something that Dewstep couldn't begin to describe himself. Whatever had happened to his brother was not for Dewstep to know, but he now knew what he had to do.

He had to stop him.

 _ **Linebreak**_

The dream came with the grip of a thousand claws. The claws tore into Dewstep's pelt as he tried to run away, every part of him feeling terrified at this new nightmare. Yellow eyes followed him, shining claws flashing ahead of him as a black pelt blocked him off. Black fog rolled around him and Dewstep took a sharp right under a bunch of thick bramble bushes.

"Leave me alone!" Dewstep cried out, only to feel as if his words were now lost to the fog. Stars were blazing across the sky, as if they were falling. "Keep these dreams away! Starclan, please!" Dewstep heard the sound of pawsteps thudding against the harsh, sharpened grass. The world was nothing but cold air and an unrecognizable forest. Dewstep had never been here before.

Snarls came close to his ear and Dewstep looked up to see the bright yellow eyes of his brother.

"I will bring forth a new dawn to the clans, brother!" Darkfire growled and bowled into Dewstep, throwing him into a tree and Dewstep's throat burned upon impact. A cracking sound shot out of his leg and pain coursed through him like lightning. With green, terrified eyes, Dewstep looked up and found himself face-to-face with green eyes similar to his own.

"You were weak, Dewstep," Hollyleaf growled, her voice harsher than the grass itself. "I thought you'd be better than your own brother, that you could have been better than the clans themselves…" Hollyleaf turned around as her claws flashed in the new moonlight, which was slowly turning a bloody color. "You're no better than the clans who exiled me, Dewstep! You were my champion!"

"Your ideals are wrongfully founded!" Dewstep tried to speak, only to find a claw rip across his face and his nose sting with the dripping of blood touching the ground below him. He gasped at the pain and sucked in a breath.

Hollyleaf was glaring at him now. "I learned from experience that the clans are nothing more than a speck of dust in time! You could have changed them, set them on the proper course! But you choose some she-cat in Thunderclan over your own family!" She leaned closer, her breath smelled of mouse, her favorite. "What was that you said about family? Family above all else? Something like that?"

"If your family is wrong… Then you shouldn't follow in their pawsteps…" Dewstep growled, looking at the she-cat with defiance. He wasn't going to be bullied around by his own mother now, his brother was enough but not his mother. The one who raised him would never say these things to him. "Stay away from me."

There was a soft growl as Darkfire stepped up behind him, having disappeared from behind Hollyleaf. "I make no promises…" Claws brushed across Dewstep's throat…

 _ **Linebreak**_

Dewstep awoke with a long breath and yawn, feeling like he got nothing in sleep. Ivypool was laying down in his nest, sleeping softly and soundly in the curl of Dewstep's body. He watched her breathing for a few moments, before Dovewing's voice broke his thoughts.

"She certainly likes you…"

Turning his gaze to her, he nodded. "Yeah…"

Dovewing gave a soft smile. "Take good care of her, will you?"

"I promise I will, Dovewing," Dewstep replied as he looked back to Ivypool, then gently curled his tail around her. "I like her too, she's been very kind to me and she has a wonderful personality that I can't begin to describe…"

"Spare me the details," Dovewing purred and stood up with a slow stretch. Her body was a little more larger than normal, but Dewstep assumed it was just muscle. Watching her pad out, he felt Ivypool stir for only a moment, only for her to press more against him and remain asleep. Her fur was soft and warm, unlike the cold he had experienced within his dream. It made Dewstep feel far better and he laid his head down, resting between her ears and slowly falling back into the dream world…


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Darkfire sat at the edge of the lake, staring into his reflection. He wondered whether or not it was his to begin with, the darkened yellow eyes no longer were as bright as the sun. Not like they used to be. But Darkfire felt almost content with the new look, the extra scarring that sliced along his fur from Tawnypelt's attacks. Her death no longer haunted his dreams. In fact, the idea of someone else's death no longer bothered him like it should have.

 _Hollyleaf has taught me well,_ Darkfire thought for the moment as his tail flicked along the partially uneven rocks. The rest of the beaches of the lake were sandier, but he found that Shadowclan's beach was not. The rocks hurt his paws, although Darkfire liked it that way.

In the water, his reflection didn't seem to look back at him, the cold eyes seeming to look past him.

 _Behind you…_ a small voice whispered in Darkfire's mind, he turning around and seeing the familiar cream-colored pelt that was Dawnpelt. Her gaze watched his own for a moment, as if she was trying to find some hint of passion or some hint of emotion. _You'll find no real passion… no real emotion…_ Darkfire thought, a part of him wondering if that was true or not. _I want it to be true, just until I complete this mission for Hollyleaf._

"Are you okay?" Darkfire broke the tension, unable to take any more with this she-cats stubborn silence.

Dawnpelt hadn't responded, her dull eyes looking down as she padded forward and sat down beside him. The soft pelt she had brushed against his own, Darkfire breathing in her scent and finding it warmer than the late green-leaf sun. It shined down on them, it had seemed, as if to show Darkfire the lighter side of the clans.

 _There is no lighter side to the clans,_ Darkfire argued with himself. Yet, he found himself thinking about how Dewstep said the clans had changed the warrior code. _If he is right, how much was changed?_ Darkfire's ears flicked. _Not enough to save Tigerheart, I will drive him from all the clans or he will perish to my claws. He has a choice._

 _You also have a choice,_ another voice whispered inside Darkfire's mind. It was unfamiliar, kindness edging the tone and trying to pull Darkfire from the darkness. _We all have choices to make, Darkfire. Many cats think like you do, that you aren't allowed to make these decisions yourself. Your mother doesn't control you, you understand that… don't you?_

 _Why would I? I've only ever known family, I can't betray my family unless they betray me._

 _Like Dewstep…?_

 _Yes, like Dewstep… He has betrayed me… Betrayed the mission…_

There was a long pause before there was any reply to follow. _It is only because you believe he has betrayed you that you think that, Darkfire. If she knew how you planned to do these… terrible things, would she really be proud of you?_

A stillness hit the air, as if the voice had left now, and Darkfire looked at Dawnpelt. She had her eyes closed and he slowly whispered into her ear. "You can tell me anything, Dawnpelt…" He had tried to keep his voice soft for her.

"I know…" she whispered back and nuzzled her head under his chin. "I just miss my mother and my brother… Flametail was once a medicine cat and I… I did some terrible things afterwards, I tried anything I could to get Jayfeather hurt, killed, even…" Dawnpelt lowered her head. "I was a recruit for the Dark Forest once before the battle, the one that practically destroyed all the clans. I felt terrible that I turned my back as fast as I could and I… I wasn't here… I didn't come to the battle until near the end, I watched Blackstar even lose a life…"

 _He is probably on his last,_ Darkfire thought to himself. "You broke the warrior code, you know," Darkfire whispered.

"I do know!" Dawnpelt shivered beneath him, as if cowering before him. "I regret everything I have done, Darkfire! Watching my own mother attack you out of anger was just… it was like a wake up call… Anger would get me nowhere but where it got her, death. Grief will get me nowhere but death, Darkfire. Ever since that day, I've watched you with caution. You've shown no sign that you deserved such a fate as death? I blamed you, Darkfire, but I cannot say for certain now that I can blame you! You've been more than a strong and capable warrior for Shadowclan!"

Darkfire expected her to be mad at him, but when his gaze fell upon hers, he could see the regret lining her tears.

"You go on more hunting patrols than anyone else and you've always been the first to defend our borders!" Dawnpelt continued, her voice quick as a darting mouse. "You always voice your opinion on how we can keep our clan safe and I can deny it no longer! Darkfire, you're perfect for the clan, they deserve to have you!" Dawnpelt took a deep breath. "I care a lot about you, even though I shouldn't!"

"What do you mean, you _shouldn't?_ " Darkfire tilted his head slowly, not trying to show that he was practically starting to feel his heart burst within his chest. The pumping had burned at his chest and blocked most of the sound from his ears.

Dawnpelt's ears pinned back, her head lowering as if ashamed. "To the clan, you're still an outsider… they might think less of me if we were to be mates…"

"I don't see why they would," Darkfire's ears perked slowly and he lifted his tail, brushing her chin to lift her gaze. "You said it yourself, I've protected this clan with all my heart. They don't have any reason to hate me, and they no longer have reason to hate you."

Pressing his nose to her, he could feel her tremble but she quickly pressed her nose back, more against him with force that Darkfire didn't expect. "I'm sorry…" Dawnpelt whispered, eyes closing and tears soaking the fur around her eyes.

"No need to be…" Darkfire gave a small smile, not knowing if it was a real smile or not. "I'm here for you, Dawnpelt, I promise… I will protect and defend both this clan and you…"

"Even at the cost of your life?" Dawnpelt whispered, Darkfire not replying to her. All he did was press his nose between her ears, as if to agree with her. _No,_ he thought to himself. _I would never protect you at the cost of my life… You broke the code, I have not._ "Darkfire… can we… can we go hunting so I can keep my mind off recent events?"

"Of course, Dawnpelt," Darkfire whispered before standing up, somewhat glad that he could take his paws away from the rough ground filled with nothing but rocks. His paw pads were slightly scraped, but the skin wasn't broken nor did it hurt. "Where shall we hunt, then? The Riverclan border? Thunderclan border?" A part of Darkfire hoped for the Thunderclan border, maybe he could catch Tigerheart in the act of meeting a Thunderclan she-cat. _Such a mouse-brain, they should have known they would be caught eventually,_ Darkfire thought to himself. _No secret stays hidden within the clans forever…_

"I don't care where we go…" Dawnpelt mumbled, her pelt brushing a bit more against his side. "Just as long as we can do something…"

Darkfire thought for a moment then nodded, starting to head towards the Thunderclan border. His heart pumped, anxiety crawling beneath his skin like spiders and ticks. "Then let us go to the Thunderclan border, Dawnpelt," Darkfire mumbled softly, trying to coax her away from her own darkness that threatened to consume her. Even though Darkfire knew he had let the darkness in, he was using it to his own ends, not someone else's. He would never let somebody else control him, he would make his own decisions.

The she-cat followed closely, slowly starting to walk with her head a bit higher and her ears more perked to follow the sounds of the wind amongst the trees. Darkfire couldn't help but watch her cream colored ears perk more as the sounds grew more frequent. It was rare that the Shadowclan patrols hunted along the Thunderclan border anymore, so the prey would be plentiful.

Most of what Darkfire could detect - a mouse, vole, and amongst the trees was a blackbird - would scurry or fly off as soon as a Thunderclan patrol appeared near the border. The patrol, from what Darkfire could see, consisted of Ivypool, Thornclaw, Shadepaw, and Bumblestripe. They were remarking the scent lines, which was something a typical patrol would do on a day like this.

Looking towards the sky, Darkstripe noticed the clouds in the distance, and a small part of him couldn't help but smile.

 _A storm is coming, Tigerheart… better run._

 _ **Linebreak**_

The Thunderclan camp was heavy and damp with the midday air, the clouds in the distance rolling much closer as the winds began to pick up. Dewstep had no idea what to expect but his fur began to stand on end. Something was wrong, not only did he feel the wind change from the center of the clearing, it wasn't a good change.

 _Blood will make the pool of the moon run red…_

 _Follow the falling star…_

The words echoed slowly, Dewstep turning his gaze towards Dovewing, who sat not too far away and her gaze was towards the clouds. The clouds would appear over Riverclan territory first, but not long after, Dewstep could tell that they would be caught in the center.

Standing, Dewstep quietly padded into the warriors den and sat in his next, slowly beginning to groom the dust that was caught in his pelt because of the fresh wind. Each speck bothered his pelt and he continued grooming until he felt satisfied that he was clean enough. All he hoped for was for Ivypool to come home so he could just relax until his sun-down patrol along the Windclan border.

The luck could have been no better, as Ivypool soon appeared from the entrance to the Thunderclan camp. She was carrying a mouse, and was already starting to head over towards the warriors den. Her dark blue eyes were unusually happy and bright, which made Dewstep smile as well, enjoying the she-cat's happiness.

"I see the patrol went well if you came back with some prey?" Dewstep inquired, finding her tail curling gently around his. "I'll take that as a yes." He let out a small laugh before feeling her paw nick his ear and he looked up. At that moment, she moved her head under his chin and nuzzled him.

"Nice to see you too!" Ivypool purred. "Now eat up, don't think I don't notice how you barely eat lately! You can't just eat so little!"

Dewstep shook his head. "You know I prefer everyone else eat first."

"How about I take a bite and then you take a bite, and we each take turns?" Ivypool suggested, her eyes now looking up at him as a purr rose in her throat. The purr made Dewstep roll his eyes slowly and nod in agreement. "Good! Remember, the she-cat is always right!" Ivypool laughed a bit more before leaning down and taking a bite of the mouse, then moved away and let Dewstep take the next bite. Once he did, Dewstep realized how hungry he was and his stomach growled a bit. "Go for it," Ivypool smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

Giving her a soft smile, Dewstep began to eat, thinking quietly to himself. As he finished, he looked at Ivypool and nudged her. "You can have the rest," he meowed before giving a playful smirk. "I know you brought the mouse just so I would eat, but I don't mind. Just know that I will get you back, maybe a little more dust in your fur?"

Ivypool gasped playfully and gently shoved Dewstep, he laughing before nicking her ear with a paw. The she-cat rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue back out. "Lay down, you mouse-brain! Or you'll be tired for the patrol!"

"No, I won't!" Dewstep slowly laid down as Ivypool picked up little chunks of the prey and ate them. Her tail brushed slowly along his own and curled back around it. There wasn't too much longer before the sun-down patrol anyways, the outside was getting darker and not just because of the clouds. "It seems I have to go," Dewstep meowed with a soft smile and the twitch of a whisker.

"Remain careful then, would you?" Ivypool tilted her head and pressed her nose against his.

"Love birds…" Bumblestripe mumbled with a laugh. "No one can get peace in this den with you two around anymore. Ivypool, explain to me why you like the outsider."

Ivypool's fur fluffed up and she hissed playfully at the warrior. "Because he is actually nice!"

"Alright, alright!" Bumblestripe curled up with a yawn. "Go have fun somewhere else then…"

"We will!" Ivypool purred and looked up at Dewstep. "After you're done with your patrol, of course!"

Dewstep nodded and slowly stood, arching his back and stretching his tail out before exiting the den. His border patrol for the Shadowclan border was already getting prepared and the sun was slowly setting in the distance. Darkness beset the clan, and Dewstep took a deep breath before walking over to the clan cats.

Redstrike, Bramblestar and Graystripe stood near the entrance, Graystripe looking far older than he had when Dewstep first met the warrior. _Hollyleaf told me that he was one of the many cats who made the Great Journey through the mountains and to the lake… And many cats have spoken of a battle that had taken place not very long ago. Eight moons, maybe. Graystripe has been through much of the clan's most important events, even Bramblestar changing the code…_

Dewstep's vision slowly shifted, the trees were pine and panic flooded through his entire body as he ran. But the vision lasted mere moments, Dewstep opening his eyes to see his patrol was ready to leave. Clearing his head of the panic, he stood up and followed Bramblestar out.

"I don't want any trouble with Shadowclan, is that clear?" Bramblestar meowed, specifically looking at Redstrike. The tom laughed awkwardly as Bramblestar led the patrol out of the camp and towards the forest where Shadowclan resided.

Dewstep's gaze stayed on the Shadowclan territory by the time they arrived, his heart thumping against his chest with anxiety.

"Don't look so worried," Redstrike nudged Dewstep gently, giving a bright smile as the wind began to pick up again. "You'll be back with Ivypool soon, I'm sure you two will keep the den up all night like you normally do anyways!"

Giving a nod, Dewstep lagged behind a bit and let the patrol carry on ahead.

As he did, he stopped and heard the sound of pawsteps coming closer and closer to the border. The sound was faint at first, it hadn't made Dewstep pause up until the sound became closer, much closer than before. His breathing quickened as he looked towards Shadowclan territory and heard a cat cry out, panic behind his voice.

"Don't attack me!"

The voice felt somewhat familiar, but it wasn't one that Dewstep could put a name to. The patrol stopped several fox-lengths ahead and turned towards the sound as well. Dewstep found himself watching the trees, time slowing down for what felt like days.

A tom with a dark tabby pelt and amber eyes jumped out, his voice filled with terror as a the smell of blood followed. The tabby crossed the border and Dewstep shouted at him. "Hey! Stop!" The tom did and looked at the Thunderclan patrol before shaking and looking towards the bushes.

Out stalked a black pelt and yellow eyes.

"Tigerheart… That's a no-no," Darkfire's voice reached across the border with blood on his breath. Dewstep noticed a deep bite on the dark tabby's shoulder who had cross the border, along with several scratches that were deep. The scent of blood had thickened in Dewstep's nose as the other's slowly began to pad closer.

"Darkfire… the newest addition to Shadowclan… I'm assuming there is a reason you're attacking your own clanmate?" Bramblestar asked calmly, but his tense muscles proved that he wasn't calm.

"He is a traitor to the code," Darkfire growled. "A traitor to Shadowclan, he deserves to perish!" Darkfire's voice was filled with hate, the wind flowing towards the patrol and the moon peeked around the clouds. Dewstep now watched as the warrior he had known as his brother became bathed in the new light, his teeth red, his claws wet with blood. Nothing could whet the bloodlust behind his eyes however, and Dewstep shivered as he looked at his brother.

Bramblestar spoke once more, breaking Dewstep of his thoughts. "We can't let you cross the border," he growled, standing between Darkfire and Tigerheart. Tigerheart was shivering in what Dewstep could only imagine was pure terror. Pelts brushed against his as they guided Dewstep to look back towards the Thunderclan leader and the Shadowclan warrior. Both had been equal in size and their claws were unsheathed.

"You let Tigerheart cross the border," Darkfire growled, tail thrashing against the leaves on the ground, which had quickly become dragged away by the wind. "His punishment was already decided, Bramblestar, this is not Thunderclan business."

"Wrong," Bramblestar slowly placed his paws into an attack position against the dirt. "Tigerheart is on _my_ territory, which now makes him _my_ responsibility. Leave, Darkfire."

"You should go," Redstrike whispered into Dewstep's ear. "This is your brother, we know you can't attack him… Brothers just don't attack each other…"

Dewstep shook his head and watched as Darkfire burst forward, Bramblestar not making any movement for a moment before his side leaked with blood. The cuts were deep, Darkfire's claws had cut into the Thunderclan leader with efficiency.

Having taken all he could have seen, Dewstep turned to his brother. "Stop it!" There was a loud thump as Bramblestar gasped, trying to breathe through the pain. "Darkfire, stop it!" Dewstep shivered and ran, stopping between Tigerheart and Darkfire. "Leave him alone! This is none of your business!"

A paw batted Dewstep into the dirt, making his head spin with pain as blood leaked down his ear.

"You, my brother, betrayed me for Thunderclan, for a life without the code, when we were supposed to _fix it_!" Darkfire growled and started walking towards Tigerheart, who was backing away slowly. Both Graystripe and Redstrike blocked his path, their pelts bristling as growls rose in their throats.

"No!" Dewstep coughed and stood up, looking at Darkfire. The large tom didn't turn around to look at Dewstep and he growled slowly. "Leave Tigerheart and Thunderclan alone!" Dewstep darted forward and tried to slice Darkfire's side, but Darkfire's speed matched Dewstep's and he felt claws tear down his side before getting tossed aside like discarded prey. "Darkfire…"

"You betrayed me," Darkfire growled and kept his gaze on Tigerheart. "Now for Tigerheart to pay the price of betraying his clan." Bramblestar tried to get to his paws, but collapsed again out of pain. Dewstep slowly stood, pain flaring down his side as he heard two more thumping sounds and brought his green eyes up. Darkfire had knocked Graystripe into the dirt and Redstrike was thrown into a tree.

Darkfire edged closer and closer to Tigerheart, whose eyes were wide and his mouth partially open, as if he wanted to beg for his own life. Dewstep started slowly going towards them, knowing that he didn't have much time. It wouldn't be long now, and he watched Darkfire's paw raise up with claws unsheathed.

"No!"

Dewstep darted forward as Darkfire's claws sliced down. Pain flared like lightning as Dewstep pushed Tigerheart into the grass and felt the claws slice down. He tried to breathe but all he could find was his lungs filling with liquid.

Blinking, he looked up at Darkfire and tried to speak, but nothing came out but a thick and warm liquid. The wind was gone now, and Darkfire's expression was that of shock. Tears streamed down the black cat's face, and Dewstep stumbled a bit.

Eyes closing, Dewstep hit the ground.

Everything was black.

Everything was painless.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"You have to be lying!" Dawnpelt gasped, Darkfire looking down now with the slight shake of his head. "But… But he can't have done that! I know him! Tigerheart would never go be the mate to some Thunderclan she-cat! And Dovewing no less…"

Darkfire sighed, wondering if he was exaggerating a bit too much but decided that Dawnpelt wasn't noticing. "I know exactly who I saw, Dawnpelt… I'm sorry, but I have to tell Blackstar, you know that your brother broke the warrior code. You can feel it…" Darkfire narrowed his eyes slowly. "A part of me wonders if you already knew."

Dawnpelt shivered, turning her gaze away as she sobbed a moment. "I did… But he told me that he would never see _her_ ever again… That was moons ago…" Dawnpelt was trembling, Darkfire could tell she was doing so probably out of fear. She was so close to being left alone, and she would eventually rely on Darkfire's conviction to the warrior code and his strength to protect her. Darkfire had promised himself that Tigerheart would be the shining example of what it was like to be a true clan cat. To be nothing like Tigerheart. The traitor would get what was coming to him soon enough.

"I will see to it that he is given fair treatment," Darkfire whispered as he slowly stood up, Dawnpelt lowering her head and trembling more.

Leaving the quiet and safety of the warriors den, he spotted Tigerheart awaiting orders for a patrol while eating from the fresh-kill pile. _You'll never go on a patrol again if I have anything to say about it,_ Darkfire thought to himself before heading to Blackstar's den.

"Blackstar, may I speak with you?"

There was a pause and the old tom's voice replied. "Of course, come in, Darkfire." Padding in, he slowly sat before the giant white tom with the jet black paw. "What brings you to me, Darkfire? I surely hope you have an explanation for your intrusion, I'm rather busy."

 _Sure, sure you're busy,_ Darkfire thought as he took a deep breath. "I fear I have some grave news, Blackstar." The leader's eyes narrowed. "No, it is not another death, but it is one of Shadowclan's most trusted warriors. Tigerheart." Blackstar didn't say anything, Darkfire awaiting some sort of response. Only the eyes met his own. "During the previous gathering, I saw him alone with a she-cat from another clan. Thunderclan, to be exact." Blackstar's claws slowly slid out. "I know it was a gathering, that cats will always talk to other cats, but they didn't just talk, Blackstar. They knew each other, they were both very worried."

"Then get Tigerheart in here and I will question him," Blackstar's ear flicked slightly.

Darkfire dipped his head. "Of course." Padding out, he looked back over towards the fresh-kill pile, the clouds starting to cover the sky. Tigerheart was chatting up another warrior - who was probably Needlefur - and padded over. "Tigerheart, Blackstar would like for you to speak with him."

The panic that lit Tigerheart's gaze wasn't enough to bring Darkfire satisfaction. He wanted to see the eyes roll into the back of Tigerheart's head and become white with death. That was the only end Tigerheart would ever meet, Darkfire was sure he could convince Blackstar to put the death penalty on the tom.

Tigerheart stood slowly and nodded. "Alright, did he explain what he wanted to talk about?"

"I think you know," Darkfire responded. Needlefur was about to say something but Darkfire brushed his tail over his mouth. "This is for Tigerheart and Blackstar, not you." Darkfire began to follow Tigerheart into the leader's den and he sat near the entrance.

"Tigerheart," Blackstar greeted the tom and sat up more. "You stand here, accused by Darkfire, of betraying your clan and becoming mates with a Thunderclan she-cat. Something that is against the warrior code." There was a slight hesitation. "I believe Darkfire, Tigerheart. I know about your many outings moons ago, and when you finally stopped, I thought you had found yourself to be unable to join her. To stay within your birth clan." Tigerheart's head hung low. "What do you say in your defense?"

Tigerheart murmured lowly. "Repeat yourself, Tigerheart," Blackstar responded.

"Nothing…" Tigerheart spoke louder this time, slowly raising his head in defiance. "Blackstar, I will not deny it. Yes, I was with a Thunderclan she-cat. I love her and I think this moment, I've come to my decision. I'm leaving Shadowclan."

Silence hung around them, and Darkfire took the initiative. "Blackstar, with all due respect, Tigerheart doesn't deserve to go to the other clans. I believe another penalty is more suitable, rather than exiling him from Shadowclan. If I may?" Blackstar seemed stunned but he slowly nodded. "I think that in this case, the death penalty would be far more suiting. Tigerheart has no future now, we both know Bramblestar doesn't accept new cats very often and Tigerheart will betray his mate to the rest of Thunderclan. It would be best to preserve the she-cat's life rather than Tigerheart's, he would be dangerous to Thunderclan."

"I…" Blackstar looked at Darkfire with wide eyes.

"Blackstar," Darkfire interrupted, lifting his tail and looking the leader in the eyes, ignoring Tigerheart's panic. "With all due respect, I've taken note of how your clan betrays the warrior code at almost every turn. I know I am new here, so my word carries little, but I want to preserve the way of Clan life, and I don't think that is possible with cats like Tigerheart. His own mother betrayed the code out of some self-righteous hatred, Rowanclaw has become mad with grief… Tigerheart is part of a family of cats who have betrayed the code." Darkfire narrowed his eyes. "My mother told me about Tigerstar and what he had done, what if Tigerheart does the same to Thunderclan and let's his hatred of me consume him? It would be the safest route we could take to protect your clan!"

Tigerhear was backing away, closer to the entrance and closer to Darkfire, the panic in his gaze evident. Blackstar was stuck in thought, it seemed. "Who would perform the duty, Darkfire?" He asked.

"The clan already asks much of you," Darkfire responded, blocking the entrance. "The clan already doesn't trust me, I'm willing to sacrifice what little trust I have in killing him for you."

Tigerheart's breathing was coming in short gasps, he was panicking worse and before Blackstar could say anything, he cried out. "No! I won't let you kill me!" Darkfire was surprised at the force the cat had to shove him out of the way of the exit, and the dark tabby bolted.

"Go after him," Blackstar growled slowly, regret already edging his tone and Darkfire nodded, bolting out of the den. The night sky was finally coming, and he streaked across the camp, Tigerheart disappearing outside the entrance. The tom took a left, as did Darkfire as he quickened his pace after the dark tom.

 _He is heading for Thunderclan!_ Darkfire realized and he pushed his legs to his limits, catching up to Tigerheart quickly. _Let us see how far he makes it!_ Darkfire smirked and quickly tackled the tom, knocking Tigerheart into a tree and causing a harsh cry.

The cat stood up, defiance, hate, and fear lining every part of his eyes. "You don't stand a chance," Darkfire growled and raked his claws down Tigerheart's side before bringing his teeth down and chomping on Tigerheart's shoulder. The blood tasted of salt, but it was thick and Darkfire found himself enjoying the taste. Tigerheart cried and tried to fight back, growing weaker as the heartbeats passed with no success.

As Darkfire felt the tom go limp, he soon stopped applying pressure and pulled his teeth away, licking his lips with a satisfied grin. "I'm not sorry, Tigerheart-"

A force struck Darkfire's chest as the tom got up, his hind legs having knocked the black cat backwards. By the time Darkfire found his footing and balance, he looked up to see the cat limping off with haste. "You won't make it far," Darkfire grinned and began following, stalking his prey. He didn't care if Tigerheart made it over the Thunderclan border, he would hunt him down. The taste of blood had gripped Darkfire's tongue and he wanted to bathe in it.

 _Good boy, Darkfire… Kill him._

The voice had finally returned, although Darkfire never cared for the Starclan warrior in the first place. _At least she claims to be of Starclan,_ Darkfire thought as he stalked forward. They weren't far from the border and he watched as Tigerheart crossed the border, only to see his brother and a few other Thunderclan cats not too far away. _Oh great,_ Darkfire narrowed his eyes very slightly. _Of course Dewstep is here now, that traitor…_

 _Traitor's deserve to die, Darkfire._

 _I'm not going to kill him._

 _Your choice._

Darkfire padded forward, grinning as the shadows engulfed him…

 _ **Linebreak**_

The blood pumped out of Dewstep's throat with ferocity, Darkfire frozen in place as he watched the small gray cat stare up at him with surprise. There wasn't hate, but instead there was love. There was nothing Darkfire could say and he could tell that Dewstep tried to say something. The only thing that left the small cat's mouth was an endless stream of red blood that stained the grass.

All Darkfire had heard was the word "No" being shouted, and when he went to deliver the killing blow to the traitor of Shadowclan, he had been shocked to see Dewstep standing in front of him.

Now the gray cat was weak, he slowly falling onto the grass as Darkfire felt the tears stream out of his eyes like a river. "D-Dewstep…?" he whispered, his paws trembling and his claws sheathing. Reaching forward, he pressed a paw against Dewstep's side. "Dewstep!" Darkfire cried out, only to find that a gray cat stood very close by.

"You see what you've done, Darkfire?" the gray tom growled, Darkfire not looking up at him and instead at his brother, who was sitting on the brink of death. "Because of your self-righteous act, you have injured your own brother! Redstrike! Get back to camp and get Jayfeather, now!"

The only other tom that was standing had nodded and bolted into the forest. It was too late, Darkfire knew. It was far too late, the blood was on his claws now and he felt himself slowly back away as his body trembled. "N-No…" Darkfire whispered, lowering his head and closing his eyes. "Dewstep… I… What have I done…? What have I become?"

"You have become something that Dewstep would've hated," the gray tom growled, shoving Darkfire aside. "If you want to help your brother, find cobweb! Now!" Darkfire was frozen in place, eyes wide as he could only see Dewstep's body now.

"I'll do it," Tigerheart whispered, standing up and starting to search the bushes. "Dewstep saved me, it is only fair that I repay the favor…" Darkfire found himself looking at Tigerheart, who hadn't noticed the black tom staring. _I only wanted him dead… My brother betrayed me but now… now that I've committed the act… It… It hurts… I have to tell Hollyleaf…_

"I c-can't stay…" Darkfire whispered.

"You better not," the gray warrior growled, turning his gaze to Darkfire. "You've done enough harm, go back to Shadowclan."

Darkfire shook his head. "I have to make sure he is okay…"

"You didn't seem to care when you tossed him aside!" the gray warrior retorted. "But giving him a merciless death blow was enough to change your mind? You're pathetic."

"I have to find my mother…"

"Isn't your mother dead-?"

Darkfire slowly stood up and trembled, walking over to go press his nose into Dewstep's fur, only to find the gray warrior blocking his path. Tigerheart came up to Dewstep and applied the cobweb, if only to slow the bleeding. "I'm sorry, Darkfire, but it is time for you to go," the gray warrior spoke carefully, his gaze fixated on the large black tom.

He knew the gray tom was right, Darkfire had nothing left to do here except make the situation worse.

"Take care of him for me…" Darkfire whispered, trembling as he passed the cats, his brother's near-lifeless body haunting his gaze as he slowly broke into a run, heading for the lake and when he felt he was far enough, he cried out. "Hollyleaf! I'm sorry! Forgive me!" He ran up towards the lakeside and broke into a full on sprint, heading straight for Riverclan territory.

Blood remained on his tongue and his scent was filled with it, panic flooding through his entire body as his legs continuously carried him. Dewstep's body kept replacing his vision, tears making the world blurry as he tried to concentrate. Every part of his body was screaming at him not to run, his muscles began to hurt as he edged closer to Riverclan territory.

 _No! Just Riverclan territory and another stream to cross! I have to reach my mother!_ Darkfire sniffled and the wind battered at his face, the moon no longer visible in the dark sky above him. Terror coursed through his veins as to what his mother would think. Surely, she wouldn't think badly? No, she would! She was cold, cruel! Darkfire knew better but the guilt was starting to rip him apart from the inside. The rocks beneath his paw pads cut at him, blood leaking out from small breaks in the skin.

"Hollyleaf!"

 _ **Linebreak**_

The black she-cat sat atop the hill, the storm above felt like a warning as she looked down at the lake. She remembered the clans, she remembered every day she had spent amongst the clans, to those that she had once loved. Hollyleaf remembered Brambleclaw, she remembered Jayfeather and Lionblaze and countless other cats who may or may not remember her. There would surely be many new cats she didn't recognize, it had been many moons since she last visited to spy for any potential targets for her sons.

A pang of guilt creeped its way around her stomach and made Hollyleaf want to gag, but she slowly looked behind her at the sleeping cats. She wasn't fast enough to get away from them, and she had already led them this far. Raven wouldn't let her get away another time, he would hunt her down to the ends of the world.

Turning her gaze back to the lake, she looked at each territory in turn.

Riverclan looked the most well concealed now, other than it's rivers. There was minor damage to the shore that Hollyleaf hadn't noticed before, and beyond Riverclan territory, there was even damage to the twoleg dens that Hollyleaf could spot. There was signs of damage everywhere, now that Hollyleaf thought a bit harder. The trees at Thunderclan's beach were torn down by the natural flooding that had occurred not long ago, same with Shadowclan, though the pines were mostly flatland and the damage stretched for many lengths.

"I hope you're ready to see your sons and tell the truth," Raven's voice caught Hollyleaf off-guard and she turned to look at him, her tail flicking. "You let our sons do your bidding, I'll be they're twisted to your evil ways, aren't they?"

"They aren't evil!" Hollyleaf growled lightly, as to not wake the others. His orange eyes met her own. "They wanted to help me, and you weren't there to raise them!"

"You're right, and I should have been so that I could save them from you," Raven retorted. "Dewstep and Darkfire are my kits as well as yours, but you shouldn't have fixated your life on this idea for revenge. For all you know, your sons are dead or dying! They didn't deserve what you pushed onto them! They deserved to make their own choices!" Raven was growling loudly, almost enough to disturb the rest. "Hollyleaf, I loved you once and I'm sure I could love you again if you were just… you! But you aren't, you're twisted on the inside, you have no will and you will never have any free will as long as you continue down this dark and destructive path!"

Hollyleaf growled and went to nick his ear, only to find her head shoved into the dirt.

"Stay down, Hollyleaf," Raven muttered in her ear. "I hope you learned your lesson, because if you don't, then I'll leave you to the crows… And I'll bring our sons with me. You'll be left alone, the feeling you hated… And you know you drove yourself to it, because it is nobody else's fault but your own that you are here, now. No one's but yours."

Raven slowly got off her and padded away, disappearing in the makeshift den he had made for the night to bear the storms. Hollyleaf got to her paws, trembling, not knowing what to think anymore...


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"The rest will stay here while we travel to the clans," Raven's ear flicked as he kept his gaze carefully on Hollyleaf, who didn't respond or look back up at him. Her heart pounded against her chest as her gaze kept watch of the lake. She didn't like being so close to this place, it threatened to drag out everything she had kept hidden.

 _Ashfur's death has certainly already been told to the clans,_ Hollyleaf quietly padded behind Raven, who started walking towards the Thunderclan forest. Hollyleaf had told him long ago that Thunderclan lived in the oak woods, the pines remained with Shadowclan territory. _I have to be prepared to be exiled once more, and I threaten the status of my sons while I am here,_ Hollyleaf sighed. _This is it, isn't it? My plans are going to fall apart… My sons will never rule over the clans, and me… Oh, Starclan… what will I do?_

The thought of praying to Starclan made Hollyleaf flinch. _No, they're just as bad as the clans… Many who are in Starclan broke the code, they don't deserve to be there!_

"You know I still love you, right?" Raven broke the cruel silence between them.

Hollyleaf made no indication she had heard him, but she did. She didn't believe him.

"I should never have left you," Raven continued, his gaze staying ahead. "When I left you, I didn't do it out of hatred of you or out of the loss of love. No, I did it because I admired you, Hollyleaf." Hollyleaf's ears flicked, feeling her lips slowly draw back, preparing to snarl at him. _You didn't care! If you did, I wouldn't have been left alone! I wouldn't have gone to the moonstone with two kits who should have been taken care of by you! You left me!_ "I brought the group of rogue's together and told them about the code that you had taught me. At first, they didn't take too kindly to it, they didn't like the idea of splitting up into several groups," Raven continued. "Spice was one of the last to join us, and there is a reason she avoided you on our travel here. She said that a black cat with yellow eyes clawed her, and the cat sounded familiar to me, so I could only assume that it was Darkfire… wasn't it?"

Hollyleaf growled at him. "Of course it was! He was defending our territory from rogue's like you!" Hollyleaf felt herself snap and she stopped walking. "I wanted you there to take care of our kits! Dewstep and Darkfire never once knew who you were, and I didn't want them searching for the father who didn't care!" Tears slowly dripped into the fur below Hollyleaf's eyes. "Do you know what it was like, worrying about all the hunting and protection for several moons while my kits grew up? I was afraid to leave the den for a few heartbeats! You were supposed to be there, Raven, and you weren't. If you truly loved me, you would have stayed and helped me take care of them. I wish you had never returned, you know!"

"The clans are in great danger," Raven's ear flicked, as if he hadn't listened to her rant. "They aren't in danger from their code, they are in danger from you. If you don't tell them what you were trying to do, then you will destroy yourself, or you will become exactly the person you hated… maybe then you'll see what you have done." Raven's ear flicked once more. "Shall I start calling you _Sol_?"

Breathing heavily, Hollyleaf bolted forward with fury. "Never call me that! You hear me!?" She unsheathed her claws and went to rake them down his side, wanting to tear Raven open with everything she had. _I should have done this before he took me this far!_ Hollyleaf thought as the anger that had gripped her for moons had finally consumed her paws, her claws repeatedly slashing forward as Raven began to dodge swiftly. None of Hollyleaf's attacks were controlled, she flailed at him out of nothing but pure anger. "Never call me that!" Hollyleaf screamed at him, her eyes blurred by the tears.

"This achieves nothing, Hollyleaf," Raven said calmly as he struck a paw through the center of her attacks and whacked her jaw hard. Raven had kept his claws sheathed when he had struck, knocking Hollyleaf back and causing her to look down, trembling. "You forget what the code stands for," Raven sighed. "After everything you told me, the code isn't about following rules down to the claw mark. It's about doing what you think is right, and I think you need to tell the clans your plan."

"They will exile Dewstep and Darkfire," Hollyleaf whispered, coughing on her own words and wishing that Raven would just fall over.

Raven's tail flicked across the leaf-strewn ground. "Maybe, but they will deserve it for not being smart enough to think for themselves, instead of following their mother. They needed to learn to think for themselves and I doubt you had the chance." Raven turned back around and his tail brushed her shoulder. "Come on, quit your crying. It wouldn't make you look good in front of Thunderclan, so if you are going to stand by your ideals, you better stand tall. You'll disappoint me like that."

 _Disappointment!? Screw off, mouse-brain!_ Hollyleaf wanted to growl, but she held herself back and slowly followed, wiping the tears from her eyes. She would stand tall, but she slowly gathered herself a brand new plan. A rogue in the clans wasn't trustworthy and she - yes, even she - could easily turn them on this rogue that guided her. _I certainly hope you are disappointed, Raven…_

The scent of Thunderclan slowly became stronger and Hollyleaf took a moment to breathe in the scent. _I'm back, Thunderclan,_ Hollyleaf thought with a slight hint of darkness creeping into her thoughts. _This is it, the moment of truth._

A rustle of bushes intruded on her thoughts, only two cats appearing from the bushes. The first was a very familiar dark ginger she-cat, whose green eyes quickly widened at the sight of the two rogue's before she even had a chance to speak. The second was a white she-cat, her green eyes blinking as her paws took a step back.

"This can't be right," the ginger she-cat whispered, blinking a bit as she shivered. "Hollyleaf…? But you're dead…"

Hollyleaf felt a laugh rise in her throat, but she held that back too. "No… I was never dead," Hollyleaf responded as her three claws unsheathed from her right paw for a moment. "A rather long story, but I come here with Raven. He wants to meet two cats."

Squirrelflight's gaze watched the two for a moment before she nodded with a soft smile. "Of course, who would he like to meet? And I'm sure your brothers will be excited to see you home as well."

Hollyleaf paused for a moment, thinking before saying quietly, "Raven would like to see Dewstep and Darkfire. They are his sons."

In that moment, there was a small gasp from Whitewing.

"This isn't a coincidence," Squirrelflight spoke, looking towards the center of Thunderclan territory where the camp would be. "Looks like Raven needs to see something then, and Hollyleaf… I think Bramblestar will want to talk to you personally before you go interacting with the clan."

"Bramblestar?" Hollyleaf questioned, her ears perked up. _That can't be… Firestar was strong, how could he have died? Surely not to battle!_ "What happened to Firestar?"

Squirrelflight turned around, starting to walk and Hollyleaf raced after her, Raven falling behind Hollyleaf while Whitewing took the rear.

"Firestar died moons ago, Hollyleaf," Squirrelflight responded. "You weren't here during the battle with the Dark Forest, you wouldn't understand the torment it caused the clan for the longest time. We needed all of our warriors here, Hollyleaf."

A pang of guilt flooded through Hollyleaf, a long time had gone since she had felt that feeling and her head had lowered. She knew that Squirrelflight was directly pointing a claw at her, and it made Hollyleaf feel the one thing she never thought she would feel for the clans again. This guilt mingled with her own hatred began to cause a bitter silence within her, not even her own thoughts were clear.

"But we survived, and Bramblestar has led us far within the clans," Squirrelflight's ear flicked. "It's good to see you have returned."

 _I have to tell the truth… don't I?_ Hollyleaf thought to herself, imagining Raven telling her to the many cats of the clan to do so. _I don't want to… Please don't make me…_ Hollyleaf thought, feeling as small as a kit around all these big cats surrounding her. _I can't do it… Don't make me do it…_

Squirrelflight disappeared behind the entrance to the Thunderclan camp, Hollyleaf hesitating before following in after the ginger cat. The arrival of Hollyleaf had started to stir the clan as she padded behind her adoptive mother, her head lowered and trying not to have her ears instinctively pin back. All the staring was uncomfortable, the whispers becoming the new heart of the clan. All the whispers…

 _Stop… Please…_ Hollyleaf was letting her thoughts take over and terror made her silent. She had never thought she would find this place so creepy, unwilling to let her return. It would never be the same, she knew that no matter how hard she tried now, being a part of Thunderclan would never be like it was when she was a kit to being an apprentice. She remembered changing her occupation of the clan, from a medicine cat apprentice to a warrior. Many of the warriors did whisper, but it was nothing compared to this.

"Hollyleaf?"

Lionblaze's voice, one that Hollyleaf had never realized she had missed up until this point.

But when she heard his voice, she learned she missed something else as well. The smell of blood reeked from a source to Hollyleaf's right, and when she looked up, she saw the medicine den, Jayfeather bolting out and shouting.

"Brightheart, I need you over here yesterday!" Jayfeather growled, the one-eyed warrior rushing up and heading into the den as Jayfeather paused a moment and sniffed the air. His blind gaze quickly turned towards Hollyleaf and she froze. Before she could say anything, Jayfeather rushed into the medicine den, shouting orders as if in some sort of panic.

 _What happened to him?_ Hollyleaf turned her gaze to the golden warrior that was her brother. The golden eyes glowed as her brother realized that his littermate wasn't dead after all. Squirrelflight shook her head and Hollyleaf noticed she was looking at Lionblaze as well, and she climbed up towards the leader's den. Hollyleaf could smell Brambleclaw… Bramble _star_ in the small den, and Squirrelflight let both her and Raven proceed into the small den before she followed, letting Whitewing leave them be.

Upon entering the den, the smell of blood hit Hollyleaf's nose, her gaze on a huge scratch down Bramblestar's side which had been covered in cobweb since the night before. Bramblestar himself was just as big as before, his claws were long but his gaze was filled with the kindness he had since Hollyleaf's youth.

"What brings the infamous Hollyleaf back to the clans?" Bramblestar questioned as he slowly rose to his paws, sitting more than standing. The wound looked as if it hurt, and Hollyleaf felt more pangs of guilt flooding through her. "And more importantly, how are you alive?"

Hollyleaf swallowed a bit. "I was injured after the tunnel collapsed… after my brothers chased me… I exiled myself, to think about the things I had done…" Raven glared at her, and Hollyleaf swallowed again with a slight hesitation to continue.

"Why did you exile yourself? You had done nothing wrong," Bramblestar inquired, but his voice was odd. It was as if he knew Hollyleaf had done something. "You can tell me anything, I raised-"

"I know," Hollyleaf interrupted. "You were the greatest father I could have had, and Crowfeather wasn't exactly the greatest alternative. I exiled myself because… because…" The emotions began flooding through Hollyleaf again, the moons spent without them meaning she had not defense against the tidal wave. "I killed Ashfur…" Hollyleaf whispered, trembling slowly as her tail flicked across the dusty ground.

The silence that followed was eerie and it only made Hollyleaf lower her head more. Bramblestar was silent but his gaze remained soft and heartwarming.

"No, you didn't," he spoke. "Ashfur died to a rogue."

"But it w-was me!" Hollyleaf stammered, looking up at the leader again.

"Hollyleaf… It is best that the matter of Ashfur remains closed," Bramblestar spoke again. "It is best the clan believes that Ashfur died defending his territory, not killed by his own clanmate. The only question was why."

Hollyleaf continued to tremble. "He was going to reveal the secret-"

"The secret that you revealed anyways?" Bramblestar tilted his head. Hollyleaf nodded miserably, not liking being under Bramblestar's gaze. A part of her wondered if this would have been any easier with Firestar than the large cat she thought was her father at one point. Maybe he still was. "Don't worry, Hollyleaf, it is nothing to worry about. Now, onto another question, who is this?"

Raven answered for himself. "My name is Raven, I'm looking for our sons."

The word _our_ gave a whole new silence that Hollyleaf trembled more at. Every fiber of her very being didn't want to be here, even if she was forgiven for the death of Ashfur.

"Dewstep… and Darkfire," Bramblestar concluded. "I thought there was something off about them, although I only ever knew Dewstep. He gave a few slip ups here and there." Bramblestar's tail flicked. "Odd, I thought they were Leafpool's kits."

"Leafpool's?" Hollyleaf felt some sort of relief at the thought. If the clan thought they were Leafpool's, then that would mean that Leafpool was exiled. If Crowfeather was exiled, then Hollyleaf felt more of a need to celebrate, even if the celebration was only silently. "She was exiled, then…?"

"Firestar didn't exile her, she did the same thing you did," Bramblestar sighed a bit. "Leafpool said she couldn't stay, so she left with Crowfeather."

 _This is perfect… I… I can't say I've felt this happy in a long time to hear those words… But it feels bittersweet, like it shouldn't have happened… I should have come home sooner, this is my home…_ Hollyleaf thought as she nodded.

"I have some bad news, Hollyleaf… You might want to go check the medicine den, Dewstep is in there now," Bramblestar's gaze hardened slightly.

Hollyleaf brought her gaze up, remembering how panicked Jayfeather had been when he called for Brightheart. "Why would Dewstep be in the… medicine… den…" Hollyleaf's eyes widened as she slowly realized why her son would ever be in the den in the first place. _He's no medicine cat, he is my little warrior… And my little warrior was hurt…_

Without letting any of them stop her, Hollyleaf bolted out of the den and quickly climbed down, her body going as fast as she could as tears streamed down her widened eyes. _Dewstep! No, the smell of blood can't be yours!_ She ran into the small den, both Jayfeather and Brightheart looking up at her. "No!" Hollyleaf cried out. "He isn't dead! He can't be dead!"

Both the cats looked at her with confusion, the body was almost perfectly still…

"Dewstep!" Hollyleaf cried and shoved past Jayfeather, who hissed in irritation.

"Get out!" Jayfeather growled and pushed Hollyleaf back with strength she never thought the blind cat had. There was a slow pause as Jayfeather calmed. "You're his mother, aren't you?"

"Y-Yes!" Hollyleaf cried, tears streaming down her face and the dust collected within the droplet's as they thickened against the cave floor. "I'm Dewstep's mother, Jayfeather! And Darkfire's!"

Jayfeather looked at Brightheart and then at Dewstep before replying.

"Darkfire did this."

Hollyleaf's world had been turned upside down, drowned, burned, then turned back up before being shoved back down. "No…" Hollyleaf shook her head and sat down, feeling defeat echo within the walls. "Darkfire wouldn't do this… not to his own brother…"

There was a sigh and Jayfeather spoke once more. "Darkfire didn't do it on purpose, he was trying to kill Tigerheart. When Dewstep got in the way, he accidentally slashed him instead. I… I doubt Dewstep will wake up again…"

 _No!_ Hollyleaf wanted to cry out, she wanted to slash her own brother with her few claws and tell him that Dewstep was stronger than that. The young cat would survive! He had to! Hollyleaf had nothing else but Darkfire, and the secret would soon be out because of Raven. The reason why Hollyleaf sent her sons in the first place would make the clan not only exile her, but they might kill her instead. She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let Dewstep die.

"It's my fault…" Hollyleaf thought with a sudden dreamlike feeling, as if this world wasn't real. "I… I did this to my sons…"

"You did."

Hollyleaf turned around to see that Raven had come by, the medicine den feeling cramped. She growled and pushed him outside before going out with him. "You should've been there…" Hollyleaf whispered. "Why did you leave me the way you did…?"

Raven looked at her and sorrow slipped into his eyes. "You wouldn't shut up about how the clans had hurt you, it was unbearable. If you were me, you would have left too," Raven let his tail curl around his front paws. The clan had gathered in the clearing directly beneath the medicine den, without Hollyleaf's notice. "You taught them, but it seems Dewstep made a choice."

"To defy me…"

"He made the right one."

The words stung Hollyleaf and she lowered her head as far as she could.

"I think I might stay for a while, at least until Dewstep is either better or…" He didn't finish, and Hollyleaf knew that neither of them wanted to think about the alternative. "Maybe you can think about what you've done while I go talk with Bramblestar about something."

"Wait," Hollyleaf whispered, noticing the other clan cats. "Please don't tell him about me…"

Raven stared into her eyes and whispered back, "That is for you to decide when to tell them, Hollyleaf. Not me. But if you don't, I don't make any promises that Dewstep won't say anything when he wakes… if he wakes."

The tall tom pulled away and padded up to the top of the leader's den where Bramblestar was sitting, leaving Hollyleaf to claw at herself. To let her thoughts begin to tear her apart. _I can't leave Dewstep here… I can't let him be alone…_

"He isn't alone," Jayfeather whispered as he sat beside her slowly. "I may not have my powers now, but from your body language and the fear scent all over you, you won't leave your son. But he isn't alone, he has clanmates."

Hollyleaf nodded very slowly, and when Jayfeather finally left after several long heartbeats of silence, she was also left to contemplate the meaning of the warrior code…

The meaning of her mistakes.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Dewstep's eyes opened to a shining forest, his body somewhat aching with the uncomfortable dirt below him. Everything didn't hurt and he looked around, his green eyes weary and tired. "Tigerheart…? Bramblestar…? Darkfire…?" Confusion tinted the edge of his voice, nothing replying but the very soft echo in the air of the names he had spoken.

With careful paws, he began to walk forward, a burning sensation driving itself deeper into his throat. He rubbed his neck with a paw, not finding anything, but he didn't remember anything that happened. Only that Darkfire was about to attack Tigerheart, and Dewstep hoped he was okay. Whatever Tigerheart did surely didn't deserve such a dreadful death by the claws of another cat. Darkfire, no less.

So why was he here now? This place was odd, the trees were tall and wonderfully fresh. More fresh than Dewstep remembered Thunderclan territory ever being, and the later in green-leaf, the worse some trees seemed to get with the lack of rain.

His ears swivelled to his right as he heard a voice that drew him closer. "Hollyleaf…?" Dewstep turned his gaze and his heart pounded with happiness. "Hollyleaf!" He cried out and ran towards the sound, appearing out into the center of a clearing. "Hollyleaf?" Dewstep tilted his head, still smiling as he purred at the sight of a long-furred black cat.

She had taken no heed of his presence however, and he slowly went around a bit, then noticed a small gray kitten tumble away from the black cat.

"No fair!" The kitten cried, eyes tightened closed as he continued to cry. The black cat purred with amusement and looked at another kit, the larger one with black fur and yellow eyes. "Darkkit always gets the moss ball!"

"Now now, Dewkit, what have we said about throwing tantrums?" Hollyleaf purred with amusement behind her tone before turning to Darkkit. "And what have I said about bullying your brother away from the moss ball? You're stronger than him, and he isn't going to get stronger if you keep bullying him away!"

The small black kit growled playfully, going to grab the moss ball and run before Hollyleaf picked the large kit up by the scruff. "You apologize to your brother, now." Hollyleaf turned the kit around and set him down before the gray one, the black kit seeming almost unwilling to cooperate with Hollyleaf. "Darkkit! Don't make me put you back inside the den! You're being a brat to your brother, now apologize!" The playful tone remained in Hollyleaf's voice.

Dewstep couldn't help but feel pain strike his heart, he remembered this. It was one of his earliest memories, when Darkfire had first apologized to him and actually seemed to mean it. The black kit, Darkkit, sniffled after a moment and apologized, his head lowering slowly. Dewstep could feel his eyes watering and his tail flicking slowly across the leaf-strewn ground.

Turning away, he felt another pang when he realized it had been such a long time since his mother had ever purred like that. For all he knew, this was the last memory he had of his mother ever purring. Especially out of amusement.

"M-Mother…" Dewstep whispered, his tail flicking again. "I… I failed you… I don't believe you anymore… I'm sorry…" The illusion of Hollyleaf didn't respond and Dewstep slowly padded away, eyes closed and using his other senses to guide him.

Dewstep could feel every part of him tremble in emotional agony, every piece of him wanting to run off in different directions and leave his soul behind.

"I want to name my kits Sunkit, Moonkit and Cloudkit!"

Dewstep paused and sniffled, looking around before noticing two cats walking towards him. One was gray with a white front paw, Dewstep recognizing the tom as himself from many moons before. Not even a moon into his apprentice training. The black one was for certain to be Darkfire.

"You don't have any kits!" Dewpaw pointed out with a small bout of laughter as he carried a bird using his tail. Dewstep had done that often sometimes, it was a good way to carry prey.

"Of course I don't have any kits!" Darkpaw laughed as well. "Alright, what would you name your kits if you had a mate, Dewpaw?"

The young cat seemed to take in the question for a moment before replying. "I'd probably name them after trees. Like Cherrykit, Applekit, Birchkit, Oakkit, Willowkit…" The young cat continued to list the names of the trees he had known during those days.

"Alright, shut up!" Darkpaw laughed.

"What if you had more than three kits?" Dewpaw tilted his head.

"Ebbkit and Flowkit," Darkpaw smiled a bit, as if proud of himself for coming up with the names.

Dewpaw rolled his eyes. "I think I'd name mine Risingkit and Fallingkit," he added to his list. Dewstep trembled as he whispered along with the two, remembering every word that was said in this conversation. The agony felt worse now.

 _What is this place?_ Dewstep thought to himself as he watched the two continue walking.

"Fastkit, Lightningkit, and Stripekit!" Darkpaw added as well, his tail flicking as his mouth opened with laughter.

"Toms don't usually name their kits," Hollyleaf dropped down from a tree, her gaze watching the two softly and Dewstep could finally put a name to the emotion. It was some pride mixed in with both amusement and love, but nothing negative. Both the apprentices jumped and quickly lowered their heads, both feeling guilty. Dewstep remembered the feeling, it was an important point when he and his brother had come together… Dewstep remembered all the fun times at home and found his heart longing to be with his brother again, to feel the happiness they once felt as apprentices. "The queens normally name the kits," Hollyleaf continued with almost no amusement in her tone. "The tom can persuade for a few names, of course. Either way, it doesn't matter, you're both far too young to be thinking about kits in your future. We should head back, the prey is all in their burrows anyways."

As Hollyleaf turned away, Dewstep could hear Darkpaw's words clearly as if they were in his own ear. "Sourkit and Sweetkit…" Darkpaw whispered with a snicker, then Dewpaw joined in. A smile appeared on Hollyleaf's face as they disappeared into the bushes.

"No, wait!" Dewstep chased after them as they disappeared, only to find himself in the training clearing where it was just him and his mother. Her gaze was lit up with excitement and Dewpaw was just as small as ever. "Wait…" Dewstep whispered, his body feeling a bit weaker at the sight. He remembered this too, the first fighting session with his mother.

The young version of himself began an attack, keeping his claws unsheathed. _I would never have unsheathed claws in a training match now,_ Dewstep thought to himself as Hollyleaf went straight for a sidestep, having expected the small apprentice to flip by her without touching her. Dewstep knew better, his claws slashed out and hit Hollyleaf's shoulder, causing a light scratch that would barely hurt. There was blood, but it wasn't enough to cause any alarm.

Dewstep watched as his apprentice self flew into a small stream, getting wet as the wind slowly began to pick up and making the small cat cold. "You know," Hollyleaf began, her eyes glittering. "From where I used to live, a clan called Riverclan had the best swimmers. I'll have to teach you and Darkpaw how to swim at some point."

Dewpaw's eyes quickly widened and he didn't take a heartbeat longer to protest. "But this stream isn't big enough!"

"Maybe for Darkpaw."

Even Dewstep had to admit that was somewhat amusing, he knew he was small and that was how he was going to be. But he didn't mind anymore. "Yeah, Hollyleaf, I'm small… Just like you, you only look big because of your fur!" Dewstep whispered to himself as he sniffled and looked down for a moment, then looked back up. Both the cats were gone now. "Don't leave me," Dewstep whispered, not wanting to be left alone in this forest. He didn't want to be alone, period.

"I guess this is goodbye…"

Darkfire's voice reached Dewstep's ears and he turned around, noticing the lake and his brother looking down at him. Darkfire's eyes filled with sorrow before he took a small drink of the water, as if to calm his throat. This was it, this was the point where he and Darkfire had split apart from each other. The memory made Dewstep want to cry and he shivered slightly.

"Dewstep…" Darkfire whispered. "Can you promise me something…?"

"Anything, Darkfire… Anything…" Dewstep sniffled slightly, knowing this was nothing but a dream now. "I will promise you anything now."

Darkfire took a deep breath. "Promise me that no matter what happens… promise me you'll always be my brother… Promise me…" Darkfire kept his gaze on the water, his eyes filled with regret, or maybe Dewstep hoped it was regret.

"I promise…"

"That's a very hard promise to keep, Dewstep," a new voice that Dewstep didn't recognize appeared behind him. Whirling around, Dewstep was face-to-face with a blue-gray she-cat. She looked fairly young, and her blue eyes were crisp and clean, filled with the knowledge of many generations. "Do you know where you are?" Dewstep shook his head slowly, afraid of the answer. "You're in Starclan, Dewstep," the blue-gray she-cat's tail flicked slowly across the ground.

Dewstep shivered and looked back to Darkfire, who had disappeared now, presumably all the way in Shadowclan by now. Turning back to the she-cat, he slowly asked, "I… I'm dead…?"

"Yes and no," she replied as she walked over and sat beside him, her tail gently stroking his back the way Hollyleaf's used to when Dewstep was a kit, scared of the dark and scared of the world outside. "Your body is being taken care of by one of the best medicine cats I know, Dewstep. Jayfeather is taking good care of your fatal wound, but it is my belief that you won't die. You have much to accomplish in the future, Dewstep."

"Who are you…?"

"I am Bluestar," the she-cat replied with a soft smile. "You have already met my own apprentice, Firestar. You've seen him in your camp, watching over you when you normally don't notice. Starclan has kept a watchful eye on you and your brother."

"Where is Darkfire?" Dewstep asked, worried now as he remembered his brother's yellow eyes filled with shock. "Bluestar, please, tell me where he is."

"You'll see him again, I promise," Bluestar continued to smile. "He will be more willing to cooperate then, I hope. But let us focus on you, Dewstep. You are an amazing warrior, and Starclan has guided you since the very beginning. Since your first vision to even your dreams of the snow and Hollyleaf. It was I who convinced Starclan to watch rather than take action, and we believe you have learned a valuable lesson." Bluestar stood up. "Follow me."

Dewstep did as he was told and slowly followed on weak paws. The forest around them slowly shifted until it looked like Thunderclan territory, territory that Dewstep recognized. He was about to ask what they were doing but found Bluestar's tail pressing against his mouth to keep it closed. Taking that as a sign to stay quiet, Dewstep followed quietly, trying not to falter. He was amongst a warrior of Starclan. A leader, no less, has come to visit him in his time of dying.

They entered the Thunderclan camp, the air was still as every cat in the camp was still. There was a thick scent of blood from the medicine den, a black she-cat frozen in place right outside, her head lowered as if deep in thought.

"Is that…?" Dewstep whispered, Bluestar nodding when Dewstep couldn't finish.

"She returned to the clan not long ago," Bluestar explained. "Hollyleaf is beginning to learn that life is far different than just the warrior code, and it may take some convincing. But she follows the rules with all her heart, we know she has good intentions but she has been persuaded, to say the least, to follow different ideals. Hollyleaf would never betray her birth clan without purpose, Dewstep. Remember this, because she sent you here to take over the clans and fix the code." Dewstep looked at the sorrowful black cat, the one who wanted to hide her face away from the world and move away from everything, to just be with her son and protect him from all the dangers. "We can give Hollyleaf another chance, Dewstep. She needs to learn that the warrior code isn't a set of laws, but a set of guidelines. They aren't meant to force the followers down one path, but to guide them to safety. Raven already understands this, and maybe he can change Hollyleaf."

"Raven…?" Dewstep didn't recognize the name.

Bluestar turned her gaze to him. "Your father is in the camp too, and you now know his name." Bluestar slowly pointed with her tail towards Highledge, where Bramblestar sat with a dark tom with orange eyes. The orange eyes were aimed towards Hollyleaf, who remained as she was by the medicine den. Dewstep wondered if he could guess her thoughts, but his attention was now on the cat up by Bramblestar. "Raven left when you were born, so you wouldn't remember him. I promise he has good intentions, Dewstep." There was a slight pause. "Everyone in your close family has made many mistakes, but you were nothing more than a catalyst for one particular mistake. You were always destined for a scar, no matter how your life would play out."

Dewstep slowly began to walk over towards where Hollyleaf was, now ignoring the she-cat who was giving him advice, guidance. He had to see for himself what the damage was. Dewstep was sure he would find himself in the medicine den, Jayfeather would be there too. The medicine cat would never leave a patient with grave injuries alone, and Dewstep knew his injuries were bad if he was in Starclan.

Bluestar only followed, now observing Dewstep's reaction. He quickly walked into the medicine den, finding Jayfeather and the one-eyed warrior that was Brightheart nearby, blocking his view of a still gray cat. Slowly shifting between them, Dewstep could see the body now.

He looked dead, lifeless. Maybe he was, maybe this was the go-between for life and death, and if Bluestar hadn't told him, he would've believed that he was dead now. That he could never go back to the real world to save his only brother.

"You have plenty of time," Bluestar gave a small smile. "When you wake up, it will hurt, Dewstep. I can't promise it'll be easy for another moon or two, but if you stay strong, I can promise you one thing…" Dewstep turned to her, anxious for the she-cat's response. "I promise you'll live a wonderful life, a happier one."

Dewstep nodded and took a deep breath. "Where is Darkfire?"

"Out of Starclan's vision now, we did not follow him to the place you call Tanglewood," Bluestar responded.

"I… I'm sorry!" Dewstep shivered and almost collapsed.

"For what, Dewstep? You've done nothing wrong…" Bluestar quietly sat down in front of him, her tail brushing his shoulder softly.

Dewstep shook his head. "I followed everything my mother wanted me to! I came to the clans to fix the code when there was nothing to fix at all! What would've happened had I followed my mother's wishes to rule the clans? The way she wanted it all along? I can see it now!" Dewstep sobbed slowly, remembering all the ways Hollyleaf had acted, the hatred that remained in her gaze for moons upon moons. "I could have become an accomplice to destroying the clans!" Dewstep continued, his tail thrashing. "They don't stand perfectly aligned to the code, I understand it now but it could have been too late!"

Bluestar shook her head slowly. "And yet here you are, understanding what you know. You don't need to apologize for events that could have happened, Dewstep. You understand what the warrior code is, and now you must decide what to do with that information…"

Fear prickled at Dewstep's pelt as he slowly nodded, trying to stand back up again. "When can I got back…? I want to see my mother… my father… my brother… I want to see my family…"

"Soon… Just rest, Dewstep, remember what you can do now… Everything will turn out okay if you fight hard enough."

Bluestar's words were the last that Dewstep had heard before he felt his eyes close and his body hit the ground once more.

Pain flared in his throat.

The taste of blood stained his tongue.


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Hollyleaf's black pelt remained fluffed up, even as the next two days had come and gone. Stress reduced her to nothing but a mess as she awaited the fate of Dewstep, who seemed as if he would never awaken from his sleep. Eternal rest would await the young cat, and Hollyleaf didn't want that the happen. Dewstep deserved more, and she deserved far, far less. The days had given her plenty of time to think about her actions, what she had done, who she had made her deals with and where her soul would end up going.

No one could change her mind, and it was rare that a cat had even given her a "Hello" other than Lionblaze, who seemed only happy that she had returned to Thunderclan intact… but it was better than being a dead body, Hollyleaf assumed. It would probably have been more terrifying that she returned a body and not a full cat.

She wasn't a full cat, anymore, she knew. Everything she had done had been out of spite, jealousy, revenge, hatred. The cats she met along her own journey, every challenge she had faced to bring her sons to the clans, it had all been for nothing. There wasn't anyone willing to do as she wanted, and Raven's words clung to her as if they had claws. No matter how hard she tried to throw his words away, they returned with ferocity.

 _He made the right choice._

 _He defied me,_ Hollyleaf always tried to reason with herself that she was the one in the right here, no one else. Not even Bramblestar, the newest leader of Thunderclan who recently lost a life to one of her sons. _Bramblestar couldn't defeat Darkfire in battle, I know that…_

For now, Hollyleaf stayed beside the medicine den, even as it began to rain from the clouds in the sky, as if agreeing with the conflict of emotions she was currently experiencing. Today, things had changed more into Dewstep's favor, at least that was what Jayfeather had said earlier in the morning. Dewstep had stirred for mere heartbeats, however, he only took two laps of water before passing out once more.

 _He could still die,_ Hollyleaf thought to herself as she looked at the entrance to the den, her tail flicking across the dirt with fur plastered to her pelt from the rain. As she looked at the entrance, she saw that Jayfeather had come out. He seemed tired, and she knew why. The medicine cat barely slept the past few days, both patients he had were in a lot of trouble but his eyes were different this time.

"What happened?" Hollyleaf stood up, pelt heavy from the rainwater. "Is Dewstep okay?"

Jayfeather was silent for several heartbeats before nodding. "Dewstep is fine… It's Briarlight… I… I have to speak to Millie…" Tears were streaming down Jayfeather's face, glazing across his eyes. If Hollyleaf didn't have her sharp eyes, she would've never noticed the tears in the first place.

Shaking her head, Hollyleaf could feel the grief rolling off of him in waves. "She can't be dead…"

"No, but she got sick not very long ago," Jayfeather explained, his tail absolutely still as his gaze looked over to the warriors den. "Briarlight isn't able to move much when she's sick, so she can't keep her chest clear of disease. The sickness hasn't left and she hasn't moved in the past moon, not much… She's dying, Hollyleaf, I can't do anything to fix it…" Jayfeather finally turned his gaze to her. "A part of me needed Leafpool here, Hollyleaf. I know you hated her, but you didn't have to force the deathberries on her." There was a pause, Hollyleaf didn't know they knew. "I saw it, Hollyleaf, when I had my powers. Leafpool was so emotional, and now she's gone because after that, she believed she wasn't worthy of being in the clans."

 _It's… my fault that Briarlight is dying…?_ Hollyleaf shivered a bit and looked back at the entrance of the den. "I… I'm sorry, Jayfeather…" Hollyleaf whispered.

"You should be…" Jayfeather mumbled and padded slowly across the camp, towards the warriors den. Graystripe appeared first and Jayfeather seemed to freeze in place, his blind blue eyes looking up towards the large gray warrior. In that moment, they both seemed to understand each other, and Hollyleaf slowly felt the grief latch onto Graystripe with a calm passion.

Hollyleaf shivered as she watched Graystripe disappear in the warriors den, and there was a sudden silence over the entire hollow. The grief was spreading faster and faster, and Hollyleaf began to realize why the rain was here now. Not only was the clan grieving, but so was Starclan. They were the only ones who could see Briarlight's destiny faster than Jayfeather, and now it was far too late.

Warriors began to come out of the den slowly, leading them was Graystripe and Millie. Jayfeather's gray pelt returned to the medicine den and after several agonizing heartbeats, he returned with a barely breathing cat on his back and following him was Brightheart, the famous one-eyed warrior, whose tears glazed across her only eye.

Jayfeather padded to the center of the clearing, slowly setting Briarlight down as the grief finally reached the climax. Up on Highledge, Bramblestar appeared, his cobwebs on his wound were almost falling off from the rain, barely clinging onto him as his amber eyes closed. The cat who lay in the center of the clearing was barely breathing, if at all. Graystripe and Millie were the first to greet her, their words drowned out by that of the rain.

Hollyleaf felt her own heart begin to shred, ripping at her, she felt the terrible wave of grief that the clan was now feeling. The warriors and apprentices remained behind Graystripe and Millie, both whispering to the small she-cat.

"You'd feel the same if it were your son," Raven's whisper broke Hollyleaf's grief and she looked up at the orange-eyed tom. His gaze was on Briarlight, whose crippled body her soul would soon be released from. "I already feel their pain, as if Dewstep died already. You were right, Hollyleaf, I should have been there for our kits. They deserved a father and now I…" Emotions flooded through the tom. "I was regretting a lot during the time I wasn't with you, Hollyleaf," Raven whispered as he regained his voice. "Now that I'm here, I remember a lot of the fun times we had. And when you gave birth to our kits, you had changed… It wasn't for the better, Hollyleaf…"

"Stop…" Hollyleaf whispered, not wanting to listen to him now.

Raven's ear flicked to show he heard, but his voice continued. "You became something else, an agent of hatred and darkness to come. I had a dream the night you gave birth, when I had fallen asleep… You were going to become a sort of evil incarnate, and… I became scared, Hollyleaf. I left because I didn't want to be caught in your storm, your hate… When I awoke, I left as quickly as I could, and left our kits with you. You know I didn't have many friends, let alone any she-cats who could feed Dewstep and Darkfire."

"Please stop, Raven…" Hollyleaf felt as if she was starting to beg, she didn't want to bow down to this tom and she didn't want her feelings to spill out.

"No," Raven whispered in her ear gently. "You need to know what you have become, what you still are… but you can change, it is why I returned in the first place… I want to help you, Hollyleaf… Let me help you. I love you."

Hollyleaf felt herself begin to tremble and she pushed the tom away, whispering, "No. No on can help me." Turning away, she padded into the medicine den and looked at her son, whose side had long stopped bleeding from Darkfire's attack, and his throat remained bloody and deadly. The cobwebs were no longer needed, it seemed, and she leaned forward with tears in her eyes as she pressed her muzzle gently between her son's ears. "No one can help me…"

Raven's scent entered the small den and Hollyleaf's tail flicked slowly. "No one can help you if you don't let anyone in, Hollyleaf!" Raven padded closer, slowly, Hollyleaf unable to pull away from her son now. "Just let somebody in, Hollyleaf," Raven pressed his nose between her ears and Hollyleaf flinched. "If not me, let Dewstep in… He won't die, I believe that… Dewstep is strong, he is your son after all…"

"No…" Hollyleaf whispered, shaking her head and pulling her nose away from Dewstep's fur. "He is your son, not mine… Dewstep shows more of you than he ever has of me, and Darkfire has become what I never wanted to become… I became that which I fought against for so many moons, and haven't understood a thing until now…"

Her gaze finally looked back up at Raven, and before he could reply, she continued.

"Darkfire can't be allowed to return to the clans, not while I am here," Hollyleaf shivered a bit. "He has become the newest agent of darkness, the one she wanted…"

"Who…?"

"A cat from the Dark Forest, a cat whose grudge has ran since the dawn of the clans," Hollyleaf whispered. "Not once has she given me her name, but she has been building since then, she came to me when I went to the Moonstone… I was told to go in a dream, to head there straight away, and I brought the kits on a dangerous journey. I shouldn't have, but I did. Dewstep almost died, and Darkfire was barely healthier than his brother." Hollyleaf looked at Dewstep. "If I don't make this right, who will?"

Raven was silent for a moment before looking at Dewstep as well. "He will," he finally replied after several long moments of silence. "Dewstep has your confidence, your speed, and your strength. But I believe that not only does he have those, he has your old kindness and your old heart. Your love is in him now, and I think it is up to him to stop his brother. This is no longer your battle Hollyleaf… it is no longer your challenge to overcome, it is his."

"When did you become so wise…?" Hollyleaf whispered before gently tucking her head under his chin and breathing in his scent, not realizing how much she missed the tom.

"A long time ago, I would like to think," Raven replied with a slight chuckle.

"Shut up, mouse-brain," Hollyleaf mumbled as she curled her tail around herself.

Raven licked between her ears, silent now as they both took in each other's scents. There was nothing more but Dewstep's body, Briarlight's scent, and them. The air was calm, but with the hint that the storm would end soon. Outside, the sound of rain was slowly becoming non-existent as the clouds began to break apart in the sky. Sunlight beamed down the center of the clearing and both Millie and Graystripe had looked up.

Briarlight's body became absolutely still, and for a few moment's, Millie cried out from the grief, her gaze turning back to the body before an orange tom appeared from the entrance. The stars were at his paws and he padded forward, the clan, blinking at the cat who pushed between them. Rising from the body came Briarlight, but she was standing on four legs with eyes as bright as the rest of the world. Purrs erupted from the spirit cat, she looking at Millie and Graystripe before nuzzling each of them.

Nothing was left for the spirit warrior, and she looked up at the orange flame-colored tom who had appeared. They didn't speak, Briarlight knew she was dead, that she no longer belonged here in the physical realm. Now she belonged to the world above, where the stars met the sky and where leaf-bare never came. Both her and the flame-colored tom disappeared, tears falling from every cat in the clearing. Even Stormpaw, who had no idea who the cat was but had understood these cats now.

Sun erupted through the entirety of the clearing, and everything seemed to be looking up now. Every cat to every piece of prey, one of the border patrols returning to camp and finding the dead cat in the center of the clearing.

Hollyleaf found herself feeling every single wave of emotion that the clan was feeling, as if she finally found the place she belonged.

"I'm sorry, Raven," Hollyleaf whispered as her mind began to clear of the darkness that had buried itself deep. "But no, I can't let Dewstep do this… I created Darkfire, I will not let him destroy the code like I originally planned. To recreate the code for everybody… I don't want that anymore, I have caused enough trouble for the clan cats now, it is time I stopped the evil that I have created."

"But… you can't! Who knows what Darkfire can do now?" Raven flinched and his tail flicked across the ground, he shaking his head. "You can't do it, you can't just go and kill your own son! _Our_ son! I won't allow it, not when we have just reconnected…"

Hollyleaf's tail flicked along with Raven's. "What I do is not your decision to make, Raven." Hollyleaf kept her voice even but she was still terrified, even with the fresh mindset she had set out. _My future is to save the clans, I've realized,_ Hollyleaf thought as she looked into Raven's gaze. _Not to save them from some large, unnatural force like the Dark Forest… No, that is long gone, it is my own mistake that I must fix. I was never destined for anything more than to save the clans from myself._

Reaching up, she pressed her nose against the tom's own. "I'm sorry, Raven… but my decision is made… I cannot let the clans suffer because of my mistake…"

Raven had paused now, his eyes closed tightly as his tail gently curled around Hollyleaf's. "I wish you didn't come to this conclusion, Hollyleaf…" Raven whispered, his tail tightening a bit. "I always wanted you by my side, just you and me…"

Hollyleaf gave a small smile and opened her green eyes once more. They had become clear again, admiration, empathy, happiness… even love had become emotions that Hollyleaf could feel once more. "I would love nothing more than to be by your side again, Raven… but if Starclan has a destiny for me, then I must take the chance. If it kills me, then that will be okay with me. I know you believe now, you can feel their spirits like they are your own ancestors, even though they have never come close to you before. Starclan is real, Raven… And I promise you that if you believe in them, we will meet again."

"Don't make promises you can't keep…" Raven whispered, his ears pressed back.

"I made a mistake," Hollyleaf replied softly. "It is my job to fix it, not yours. Not Dewstep's. I would rather not kill Darkfire if I could, but I can feel it, I can't change him anymore… He is gone from us, Raven… I think you understand that."

Raven's pelt bristled lightly, but he nodded slowly, as if unsure. "What can I do to help…?"

Pulling away slowly, Hollyleaf glanced towards the entrance before looking at Dewstep. "Introduce yourself to Dewstep, Raven… Be his father, someone he can count on when he comes to trouble. Be what I couldn't be, a parent. It is time for me to take my leave, if I don't come back, don't come looking for me."

"I promise I won't…" Raven shivered once more, terror in his eyes. "I love you, Hollyleaf…"

"I love you too… Raven."

 _ **Linebreak**_

 _Two days earlier…_

Darkfire found himself back in Tanglewood, his yellow eyes looking around with terror at the den where he had once been as a young tom. "Hollyleaf!" he cried out, panic flooding through him as the early dawn sun began to rise. The black she-cat was nowhere to be seen. "Hollyleaf! Please! I'm sorry! I failed!"

"You have not failed, Darkfire…" Hollyleaf's voice seemed to reach to his ears and he turned around, trying to find her.

"Yes, I have!" Darkfire trembled, his paws barely keeping him up as the dirt shifted beneath him. "I can't do this, I can't change the clans! I hurt Dewstep!"

The voice returned, soft and loving. "Dewstep was a traitor, Darkfire, but you aren't… Now it is your job to finish what you started. It is quite alright, and there is something you must know. An imposter has entered the clans of me, I need you to kill her, destroy her… You are faster, stronger, I know this. Then you must kill every cat I tell you to kill, to keep those disloyal to the warrior code is not a possibility. Destroy them and rule over them, my son."

Darkfire nodded slowly. "Where must I go…?"

A fog slowly rolled in, and Darkfire felt a cold tail touch his spine. "You must go to where the moon shines in the pools of the clans. The destiny of the clans will be decided there, and if you fail me… I assure you, Darkfire, I won't be easy on you…"

Darkfire's tail flicked and he nodded, not wanting to look at his mother until he finished his journey. He didn't deserve to look at his mother until he could make her proud. "I will come back when the mission is done… Or not at all."

"Good… You've made me proud, Darkfire…" Hollyleaf's voice turned into a purr and Darkfire smiled slightly, standing up with more confidence in his paws. Energy coursed through him now. "Save the new energy I've given to you, Darkfire. Save it for when you must fight her. When you're done, I want you to finish off your brother… He will rest peacefully once he understands the code, I will teach him when he reaches Starclan."

"Thank you," Darkfire whispered before beginning to walk back towards the clans.


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The pain seemed endless to Dewstep, nothing in his life compared to the pain he was currently experiencing. Shocks of lightning echoed throughout his body, his side and neck especially. There were whispers, but he couldn't make them out through his confused and disoriented mind. What had made sense was almost nothing but the name "Dewstep" being repeated a few times.

With a jolt, Dewstep quickly sat up and his eyes stretched wide open, the den was dark for the moment and he tried to look around. His throat burned with lack of water, his stomach growling with hunger, but he paid no heed to his needs.

His eyes caught that of a gray cat whose blind blue eyes rested on him with surprise.

"Dewstep…?" the gray cat meowed, no name coming to Dewstep, even though he should know the cat who sat before him. The gray cat kept his blind gaze on him, surprise lighting up the cat's entire body and posture. "You're… You're alive!"

 _Jayfeather,_ _that's his name…_ Dewstep thought as he went to speak before finding himself collapsing and coughing harshly. The pain only made him cough harder, becoming a vicious cycle before Jayfeather pressed his paw against Dewstep's chest and nudged him to the small pool in the corner. _Where is the other cat…? What's her name… Briarlight, I think…_ Dewstep thought as he leaned down and quickly took a drink.

"You missed a lot," Jayfeather meowed carefully, his tone filled with emotion. "Not only did you miss a death, but your… I think it is best to see for yourself, Dewstep." Jayfeather took a deep breath. "Let us just say that Bramblestar has a lot of questions for you, but I should warn him that you can only answer yes or no questions until your throat is better."

Dewstep slowly nodded and very carefully stood up more, tail flicking from the pain. Jayfeather grabbed a poppy seed. "This should help with the current pain, I'm running low on the rest of my herbs so this will have to do. You need a lot of rest anyways."

Lapping up the small seed, Dewstep took a sniff of the den, three scents standing out amongst his, Jayfeather's, and Briarlight's. One was Ivypool's own, but the other two weren't as familiar. Maybe there was one that was familiar to himself, but Dewstep's nose was also filled with the scent of blood, which didn't help any.

Trying not to cough or stumble, he padded out with Jayfeather behind him. In the center of the clearing was left to only two cats. A dark tom with orange eyes and a she-cat with bright green eyes. Neither were paying attention to their surroundings, and the scent of the entire clan was thick in the air, as if the clan had a gathering and just recently. There was no stillness in the air, grief hung around and the scent of rain was just as thick.

"Briarlight is dead," Jayfeather meowed quietly in Dewstep's ear. "I'm sure you recognize both cats in the center…"

It took several long moments before Dewstep's eyes widened, realizing the black pelt was that of Hollyleaf. The tom he didn't recognize, although the scent he could catch was similar to that of Darkfire's own. Slowly padding forward, his paw splashed in a puddle and Hollyleaf's gaze turned to him, widening as well, then the tom looked up to see what the she-cat was staring at.

"Mother…" Dewstep rasped, the word hurting his throat but he couldn't help himself. Taking a few slow steps forward, he looked eye-to-eye with Hollyleaf and felt his tail flick.

"I didn't think you would wake up so soon," Hollyleaf whispered, her tail flicking. Her eyes were different, Dewstep didn't recognize her from her eyes now. "Oh, Dewstep… I'm so sorry…" Hollyleaf leaned forward and buried her face in Dewstep's shoulder. "I dragged you into something that was never meant to happen… Raven made me see my mistakes, Dewstep, and it is my fault that you got hurt…"

Dewstep looked at her mother before looking at Raven, his orange eyes staring back at him with surprise and something else.

"Dewstep," the dark cat meowed slowly before pressing his nose against Dewstep's ear. "I'm Raven… I… I'm your father…"

 _I'm your father…_ the words echoed in Dewstep's mind several times before he realized what it meant. Raven pulled his nose away and looked into Dewstep's eyes, he unable to speak as well as Dewstep. Even if Dewstep could know what to say, he wouldn't be able to speak anyways. The wound hurt too much now, though it didn't matter at this point. There was nothing he could say and nothing he needed to say.

"I'm sorry too, Dewstep…" Raven spoke quietly as he pressed his muzzle into Dewstep's other shoulder. "I was never your father… Will you let me be your father now…?"

Taking a few deep breaths, Dewstep knew he couldn't hate Raven. A part of him remembered Hollyleaf's obsession with the code, and if she was that way towards Raven, it was of no surprise that he could have left. Dewstep could now remember every moment that Hollyleaf had talked about the code, of its importance to the clans and what the clans had done to disgrace the code.

 _It is a set of guidelines…_ Dewstep remembered what the blue she-cat had said in his dream, although her name had suddenly become nonexistent to him now. _The warriors don't live just by rules, even as they think of the warrior code, but it is a set of guidelines… Never has it once been rules, there has always been a difference and it seems that not very many of us may understand… I do._

Hollyleaf and Raven remained still, their noses in Dewstep's fur and he slowly looked at each of them. Then towards Raven, giving him a slight nudge with a paw. With the cat lifting his gaze to Dewstep's own, he gave a small nod, hoping the cat would understand. When Raven's gaze lit up, Dewstep knew that the tom did.

Nudging his other shoulder, he got Hollyleaf to look at him and he gave a smile, nuzzling her.

"You… You are forgiving me…?" Hollyleaf whispered as Dewstep nodded in response. "Dewstep… Thank you… It means so much…" Hollyleaf purred and nuzzled Dewstep, her tail curling around him gently. "Everyone in the clan is right… You are far better than they thought you would be, and it surprises me what you have been able to do…" Hollyleaf licked between his ears, Dewstep feeling smaller but he didn't mind the affection at all. "I guess I should've learned my lesson… You should go see about resting up a bit more…"

Dewstep shook his head before looking to the warriors den, he assuming that was where Ivypool would be. Before either of his parents could say anything, he began trotting away, his tail flicking and his eyes open for Ivypool. His nose followed her scent quickly into the warriors den, and he saw the gray and white she-cat. Ivypool was laying in his nest, the fur around her eyes wet with tears while her breathing was soft and rhythmic. She had fallen asleep, probably after silently crying.

 _There's no need to cry anymore,_ Dewstep thought as he slowly padded forward, rubbing a paw against the light cobweb against his throat. He didn't need it any longer, the blood flow had stopped already and he gave a small smile. Dewstep moved behind Ivypool before gently laying down, curling his body around her.

Ivypool flinched and opened her blue eyes, her gaze wide and looking at Dewstep's green gaze. He didn't say anything and like before, he didn't need to. When a small amount of time passed, he leaned forward and pressed his nose to hers, finding her quickly pressing back as her eyes closed and a sob escaped her lips.

"Don't make me worry like that, ever again…" Ivypool whispered, eyes opening and looking at his again. "I thought you were going to die…"

Dewstep didn't respond, unable to but he didn't want to. He only smiled, Ivypool purring. A sound that Dewstep had missed in his dreams, he wishing he could purr along with her. _One day…_ Dewstep thought as he forced his purrs back, not wishing for the pain to return. _I'll try not to worry you again, Ivypool, you never deserved such worry… You've always treated me with kindness, with love, with more than just a friendship…_

Laying his head down against her neck, Ivypool rested her head and quickly fell back asleep, warm and purring against Dewstep. Her fur brushed against him and Dewstep slowly found himself sinking into a deep sleep. His body was still tired, and although he remained just as thirsty and as hungry as before, he couldn't stay awake any longer.

He let the dark depths of sleep grab hold willingly, passing out within mere heartbeats after Ivypool...

 _ **Linebreak**_

By the time that Dewstep had awoken again, the den was empty other than him and Ivypool, whose breathing remained soft and barely pressed her pelt any further into his own. The warmth gave new light to Dewstep, he wanting so desperately to just let out a long purr without the shock of his throat tearing at him. It didn't matter, all Dewstep wanted was to just lay with his mate-

A yowl from Highledge interrupted his thoughts and Dewstep looked up, ears perked. The voice sounded familiar and he slowly stood up, not wanting to bother Ivypool in the slightest. It was too late, her eyes having opened and her jaws parting with a yawn that Dewstep found to be rather adorable.

"Is someone calling from the Highledge…?" Ivypool groaned, not wanting to have woken up without Dewstep around her. When she looked at him finally, he nodded and pressed his nose between her ears.

When Ivypool stood, he curled his tail around her own and walked out, her by his side. Turning his gaze to the Highledge, he saw three cats. Hollyleaf's black pelt stood before every clan cat in the clearing, fear striking her gaze and her breathing was quick. Behind her was Raven and Bramblestar, Raven sitting up proudly while Bramblestar's gaze showed the emotion of love and uncertainty.

 _What are you doing, Hollyleaf…?_ Dewstep thought as he sat beside Ivypool, his gaze keeping to Hollyleaf. Her own green eyes met his and there was a sadness now.

"Warriors of Thunderclan," Hollyleaf began, her tail giving a slow flick. "I have not returned of my own accord, and instead through a series of events that were out of my control." The she-cat took a deep breath, the clan whispering quietly for a moment, only silenced as she continued. "I have made a huge mistake and I know that all of you are confused. You have probably asked your clanmates that it seemed odd that I sent my sons with a fake story about me. It is true, for some time, that I referred to myself only as Snake. But that was before I had my sons, Dewstep and Darkfire."

"What is going on…?" Ivypool whispered, but Dewstep already knew.

 _She is going to tell the whole clan the truth!_ Dewstep thought, eyes widened as his eyes remained widened.

"Dewstep… tell me what is happening…"

Dewstep could only shake his head, he didn't want to be kicked out of the clan now. This wasn't what he wanted, he had finally found his place in the clan and it would soon be ruined by his own mother, the one who wanted him to join the clans in the first place! _Don't do it! Hollyleaf, I'm begging you, look into my eyes, know that I can't have the truth released without being hurt myself!_

Hollyleaf didn't look at him again, she was standing with more confidence than before.

"You question why I didn't come back myself, why I sent my sons in my place," she continued. "They were my champions when I fell to darkness. I sent them to fix what I thought was broken, the warrior code. Now I see that I was wrong, the warrior code is not a set of rules to follow to the claw." Hollyleaf swallowed, her left ear flicking before her right paw unsheathed her few claws she had. "I… I hated the warrior code and everything it stood for for the longest time. I hated my own parents, I hated Squirrelflight and Bramblestar…"

From where Dewstep sat, he could see Squirrelflight flinch amongst the warriors, her eyes filled with shock and horror. Bringing his gaze back up to Hollyleaf, he shivered. Bramblestar must have already heard, because he gave no indication he was shocked. Only emotions filled his eyes, uncertainty was the most visible amongst them.

"I came back because my previous mate - Raven - made me return. Everyone I have met until now has given me the same advice, to tell the truth. So I will, and I… I regret everything, so once more, I will exile myself. I have to fix the mistakes of the past, both mine and my family's mistakes."

The clan was silent before one other cat finally spoke up. It was Cloudtail, his eyes were blazing with pure fury.

"How can we trust her not to come back and try again?" Cloudtail cried out for the whole clan to hear. "If she betrayed us once, then we can't just let her leave the clan into exile! Clearly her previous exile only brought more trouble, she can't be trusted to leave this clan again and not try to destroy us once more."

Now there was an eerie silence before the warriors below began whispering in agreement. Dewstep turned his gaze to Ivypool, who slowly pulled away from him and brought her gaze to his, tears streaming down.

"Who are you really, Dewstep…?" Ivypool whispered, there was no hate in her voice, only a broken heart and a lifetime of lies. "I… I can't trust you…" Ivypool continued and Dewstep tried to speak, only to start coughing instead. Ivypool must have taken it as a sign that Dewstep didn't have an answer, and she bolted out the entrance of the camp.

"I will not condone the death penalty as valid punishment!" Bramblestar growled from atop the Highledge, pushing Hollyleaf behind him. "Whether Hollyleaf deserves death or not is not up to us! That is up to Starclan as to when she goes to their world. If any warrior wants to get to Hollyleaf, they are going through me first!" Bramblestar continued to growl afterwards, the entire clan shocked into pure silence. Even Jayfeather, who sat out near the medicine den, seemed just as shocked as the rest of them.

Taking a moment to breathe, Dewstep knew he would have to relax if he were to make it through this. The clan was against his mother, there was nothing he could do about that.

"Then what about Dewstep?" Cloudtail yowled, his growls echoing within the clan walls. "He can't be trusted either, we should exile him along with that she-cat piece of fox-dung!" Now clan eyes were on him and Dewstep swallowed, shaking his head quickly.

 _Deep breaths… deep breaths… deep breaths…_

"He can be trusted," Hollyleaf spoke once more.

"Says the she-cat who sent him here to destroy us!" Now it was Bumblestripe who piped into the hatred the clan was beginning to experience.

"If he did as I asked, many of you wouldn't be here!" Hollyleaf hissed. "That includes Squirrelflight and Graystripe, even Bramblestar himself wouldn't have realized. He did not do as I ordered and for that, he has become his own warrior. Dewstep does not follow me, and if he did, I would only have one last order for him." The clan continued to let her speak. "To live his life the way he wants to, without my intervention."

Hollyleaf slowly climbed down from Highledge, then looked up at Raven and Bramblestar. "I'm going to find Darkfire and put a stop to this madness before it goes any further. This is the last time Thunderclan will see me, I'm sure." Hollyleaf turned to look at Dewstep, who stared into her gaze with fear in his own heart. His mother slowly padded closer and gently pressed her warm nose into the fur of his ears. "Be careful… I could see you liked her, I'm sure she will come around, just give her some time… Maybe we can meet again when circumstances are better…"

Dewstep sniffled and nodded, burying his nose into her fur, a small part of him knowing this may be the last time he would see her alive… "Don't… leave…" Dewstep tried to speak, his tail quivering.

"I'm sorry… But I did this, so this is it," Hollyleaf whispered. "This is goodbye, Dewstep… You've made me proud these past few days, even if you have not been awake for these moments. Be a good mate to Ivypool, you deserve a better life than any I could give you." With those words, she pulled away and said nothing more, turning her back to him and heading out the entrance. The clan then watched Dewstep as he lowered his head, curling his tail around his front paws.

 _What am I supposed to do now…?_ Dewstep thought to himself as he felt their eyes on him. He couldn't lift his head from where it was, he didn't want to look at his clanmates in the eyes. Dewstep had just made this place his home and now nobody trusted him, not even the cat he loved with all his heart trusted him. The truth was out now, and Dewstep couldn't even defend himself.

Bramblestar was the first to break the silence.

"Dewstep will be allowed to remain within the clan if he wishes," Bramblestar meowed calmly, remaining atop the Highledge. Raven had jumped down now, leaving only the leader to speak to his warriors. "He has done nothing wrong to us, and I doubt he will. Isn't that right, Dewstep…?"

Dewstep paused and shakily looked up with a small nod, the rest of the cats probably able to see his own terror. He would have kept everything a secret, just to live peacefully in Thunderclan. Slowly standing, he looked out the entrance before looking at Bramblestar, who only flicked his ear with a soft nod. Heading out, he began to follow Ivypool's scent, trying to find where the she-cat could have gone now.

Running through the forest as quickly as he could, he found he was heading for the lake. By the time he arrived, he found nothing but a cat sobbing beside the lake, her tail flicking and her dark blue eyes watching the water. Silently, he padded up to her and slowly sat beside her, his own tears falling as well, making the water ripple along its surface.

"Who are you…?" Ivypool asked.

"I'm…" Dewstep swallowed a cough as best he could. "Dewstep…"

"Were you really planning on taking over the clans…?" Dewstep nodded in response. "What about now…? Have you been with me for nothing…?"

Dewstep looked at her now and shook his head, sniffling a bit. "I… stopped… soon after… getting here…"

"Why…?"

"Because… following… my… mother was… wrong…" Dewstep continued to swallow back his coughs. "And because… I found… someone… to love…"

Ivypool's eyes widened only slightly and she sniffled, ears pinned back and her tail flicking.

"Please… forgive me…" Dewstep forced his words out, taking all the effort he could to ignore the pain it was causing him.

"Don't speak…" Ivypool whispered and buried her head beneath his chin. "I know it hurts you… It's okay…" There was a quiet sniffle from her and Dewstep pressed his nose between her ears, quiet now.

 _I promise I love you, Ivypool… I do… I love you with everything I have…_


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The early morning fog was thick around the small pool, no reflections in the pool but the one of the black she-cat and her sorrowful gaze. Every part of her had memorized the reflections of the sun and the moon and the stars as the days slowly passed. Nothing had ever been the same to the little she-cat, her green eyes lit with her realizations and her old dreams had become distant memories now.

A small sigh escaped her lips as she felt the bodies of cats surrounding her, whispering things unintelligible to her ears, which flicked in response. Only the name "Hollyleaf" came to the she-cat's mind and she gave a small smile.

"I'm no warrior," she meowed. "I gave up that name… It is just Holly now," she mumbled, watching as her reflection smiled back towards her. "A warrior defends their clan, not destroys it. Hollyleaf is the name of a warrior who had become something else, but now I am a new cat. My duty is to protect my family, not the clan I thought I had come to know." Holly looked up towards the sky with her paws lifting her body to a higher sitting position. She looked up in pride. "I am more than happy to give up my warrior name, and if I survive this last battle… Then that means I have a new mission."

Holly brought her gaze back to the pool, the reflection…

 _ **Linebreak**_

… echoing every feature that Hollyleaf could have seen, from her whiskers to her tail tip. The old Moonstone looked dead, as if it hadn't been used in many, many moons. She understood why, this was the home of the clans, a place she had come to for the answers she had so desperately desired. The Moonpool back home would give her no answers, and Starclan wouldn't want to speak to her after the deeds she had committed.

Yet, the only answers she had found was a she-cat with no name and Sol, the calico standing barely a few tail-lengths behind her with a small smile.

"You see, Hollyleaf…" Sol spoke smoothly with a dark undertone, padding closer to her with quiet pawsteps. "This is the old forest, this is the heart of the clans. The lake is not their true home, and they are dying… This stone proves it, it used to light up every night with the powers of Starclan, back when they were really strong, not just a little myth with little power left." Sol pressed a paw to the stone, sliding it along the surface as if it was made of water. "I once belonged to a clan a long time ago, there was once a fifth clan. Its name was Skyclan. When I didn't prove to be worthy enough to be one of their warriors, I vowed to let my vengeance bring me to victory."

A quiet pause kept tension high between them, the rogue's words ringing true.

"This stone is the proof I wanted to show you and your brothers for the longest time," Sol continued as he pulled away. "It is lifeless, nothing exists but the death of thousands upon thousands of generations. This is where it all started, the clans… they ruined their heritage when they moved to the lake."

Hollyleaf's ear flicked slightly, watching the stone before pressing her own paw against it. The feeling made Hollyleaf shiver, the intense cold wanting nothing more than to suck the life out of her now. With the flick of her tail, she looked at Sol.

"But what about Brambleclaw's vision and the prophecy for the clans to move to the lake?" she asked, finding it hard to believe that the clans would give up the spiritual power of a place like this.

Sol's ear flicked. "The prophecy was false, Hollyleaf. Starclan made the first of many mistakes, starting with that prophecy. Then they continued down the path, they thrust prophecy after prophecy upon the clans, the clans struggling to survive and rarely catching a break-"

"But they were thriving more than ever since I was born," Hollyleaf interrupted, Sol glancing at her with hard eyes.

"Don't interrupt me," Sol sighed a bit, ears perking up. He brought his amber eyes back to the stone. "Thriving? No. The clans were dying, their lack of conflict made them weaker. Currently, Skyclan is suffering the same fate, their conflict being within their own souls. The first leader that Firestar brought to Skyclan finally passed away, trying to save the clan. It didn't work, half of Skyclan was devastated. They were _weak_ , _broken_ , no longer a true clan." Sol seemed angry now, which was something Hollyleaf had never seen from him. "A true clan wouldn't have turned on itself after the leader had passed away to decide the next leader. A true clan would have been able to endure the hard times with brave hearts. I thought I could find the original clans, to prove that they were better." Sol's tail flicked, dust rising into the air and making Hollyleaf cough. "I was wrong," Sol muttered. "I swore my revenge on them, to prove that their prophecies are meaningless, that they rely too much on dead cats and visions brought on by deadly tastes."

"Deadly tastes…?" Hollyleaf questioned, finding herself mesmerized by Sol's conviction.

He replied with a slow nod. "You are blind to the blood that the clans spill without real reason," Sol meowed, bringing his voice back to his original, smooth tone. "They believe in boundaries where there is none, they believe that to be strong, you must fight each other. I have proved you wrong time and time again, haven't I? Since the beginning, I had manipulated events to prove that the clans were weak from the start."

Hollyleaf blinked a bit and thought about Shadowclan, how they had fallen prey to disbelief in Starclan. Jayfeather and Lionblaze had helped bring them back, Hollyleaf helping along. She remembered feeling important, like she was one of the three in a prophecy mentioned so long ago. Doubts had reached her that she didn't have any special powers since she left Thunderclan.

"Day and night, distance and time… Those are the only true boundaries of the world," Sol spoke further, placing his paw back against the stone. "There is only one way to prove me wrong, Hollyleaf. Bring the clans together - whether with brute force or sly words - and keep them together. Each clan must help each other through the hardest of times, ruin their enemies with devastating blows. When a clan member is lost to the fight, honor them, but don't remember them." Hollyleaf was shocked and was about to interrupt, Sol's tail flicking to her lips. "Remembering the fallen with stories and legends is what gave Starclan the power it had so long ago. It is also what destroyed the original Skyclan, and what is making the clans decay now. I'm sure you have seen it, Hollyleaf, before you left? The infighting was constant, and even Ashfur's death brought infighting into the clan you cling to now, even as they give you nothing."

Hollyleaf froze in place and took a step back from him. "How did you know about Ashfur…?"

"Because I can read the stars," Sol smiled a bit and turned his gaze to her. "You forget that I may not be warrior material, but I'm smarter than I look. I know many things about the clans, from their past battles to the future wars that will last moons on end. I even know about a small cat, one who is yet to be related to you but has the pelt of snow and she will do a great wonder for the clans." Sol gave a soft chuckle. "I think it is time for you to head back to… Tanglewood, was it…? Head back there, the message you were sent to receive has been received." Sol stood up and went to walk deeper into the caves. "Oh, and keep the kits safe. They are more important than you will ever know."

 _ **Linebreak**_

"They are very important, Sol," Holly whispered to herself with a small smile. "I'm proud of Dewstep, I wanted revenge where there was none to be had and he saw through that. He has become his own cat, not a slave to my ambitions…" Holly felt tears sting her eyes and she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Darkfire… I should never have pushed so hard for you to become the best… I have created someone who doesn't deserve this, and now I sit here, waiting for a sign of where to go."

Holly's tail flicked slowly, her crisp, green gaze unrecognizable but familiar on her own face now, the reflection staring back with the same clarity as her eyes. "Starclan, show me where I must go to find my son and try and help him… Give me this chance, I beg of you… When I am done, I will never return, I will keep myself in exile once more for the actions that have put so many in danger already…"

"You are where you need to be," a voice echoed in Holly's ears.

"F-Firestar…?"

There was a gently rush of wind sliding along Holly's thick black fur, as if to respond with a "yes." Holly felt safer now, knowing that Starclan hadn't given up on her. This was it, then. This was the place where Holly felt everything start to come together, every mistake she made would be revealed in this place beside the Moonpool.

"Thank you…" Holly whispered and closed her eyes, tears wetting her fur and clumping it together in very small strands. "I will do everything I can to protect the clans from my mistakes, I promise."

There was a sound of heavy pawsteps behind Holly…

 _ **Linebreak**_

"It is good to meet you," a large tom bowed his head respectfully to Hollyleaf, her eyes filled with distrust of the tom. She knew she was faster than he was, and Hollyleaf was already prepared to run or fight in case something happened. "My name is Raven, I'm sorry for intruding upon your territory. There haven't been many cats in Tanglewood, recently, so a couple of us hunt around here. If I had been paying attention, I might have noticed…" Raven's orange eyes were filled with honesty.

Hollyleaf growled lightly. "Just go, find some place else to stay before I claw your muzzle."

Raven looked hurt now, his tail flicking across the leaves against the forest floor. "Well, I would like to make this up to you… Where do you live? I can catch you a mouse or two-"

"Raven," Hollyleaf interrupted, turning her dark gaze back to him, silencing him for the moment. "I appreciate that you're wanting to help, but I'm fine. A she-cat isn't your damsel in distress, and I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."

"Oh…?" Raven's ear flicked a bit. "What about the cut against her side? That looks rather fresh and nasty. Are you sure you don't need the help?"

"I'm fine," Hollyleaf snapped, her tail flicking again before she stalked away. Before she disappeared in the bushes, she called back to him. "The closest border is towards the mountains." With that, she left the tom alone, expecting him to leave as quickly as he could towards the next border and leave her alone for the rest of her life.

That was, until the first storm hit Tanglewood since Hollyleaf had made her home there.

Rain blasted down in heavy drops, Hollyleaf having spent the entire day digging a den like a fox. "I shouldn't be digging these just to stay alive," Hollyleaf growled to herself as she dragged the only moss she had into the den and burrowed deep into it, her growls echoing and only to be drowned out by the world around her. The rain continued to come down and the lightning repeatedly lit up the den, forcing Hollyleaf to remain as awake as possible.

The sound of rustling came from aboveground, and Hollyleaf's ears perked something large slid into the den. Pressing her back against the wall, Hollyleaf watched as the object seemed to stand on four legs and look outside.

"Thank my ancestors for finding this den…" the cat muttered, the voice very familiar as he turned around and his eyes widened, shouting out and stumbling back. Then his gaze lit up with familiarity. "Oh, it's you!" he said with a bright smile, though darkened by the hole he now sat in. "I never caught your name before."

"I never gave it," Hollyleaf retorted, growling a bit. "What are you doing here?"

The answer should have been obvious, but Hollyleaf was too irritated to think of one. "To take cover from the storm, of course," Raven responded with an embarrassed lick of his chest fur, which was wet and clung to his body like a squirrel to a tree. "I'm sorry, once more…" Raven bowed his head slightly to her. "But it would be nice to stay, at least until this storm eases up enough for me to head to the other side of this forest."

Hollyleaf wished she could just claw his eye out, but didn't want the ache of dealing with the blood. "Then rest near the entrance and leave me alone…" Hollyleaf mumbled, curling up into her moss bedding.

There was a bit of silence until the tom broke it again.

"You do know there are better ways to build a barrier for your den, right?" Raven commented, standing and looking at the den that Hollyleaf had built. "You see, Tanglewood is full of vines, which can be used to hide your den better against animals like foxes and badgers. Then there is the fact that you can use feathers to make predators go around the clearing you built this place in. The feathers will always contain the scent of birds, or at least for a good moon or two, they do. With those feathers, you can draw predators away from your den while keeping it hidden, and if you do that, any family you have will be well protected."

"I don't have a family," Hollyleaf muttered, remembering the faces of her brothers.

Raven turned his eyes back to her and his tail raised up slightly, head cocked to the side. "Really…? Why are you alone…?"

Hollyleaf preferred not to tell, so she kept it simple. "I did some bad things with the cats I lived with," she replied, hoping the response was enough to keep Raven satisfied. "You wouldn't understand."

"Why don't you try me?" Raven padded closer and sat down with his paws tucked beneath his chest and his eyes watching her. Hollyleaf looked up and noticed the sincerity in his gaze, she unable to help but feeling drawn to them. "I catch onto things very quickly, I promise you that."

Swallowing a bit, Hollyleaf knew she might feel better if she explained her problems. So she did, she explained the warrior code to the rogue. When he understood most of the code, she told him every sin she had committed against the clan and the things her family had done, how she felt like a disgrace to the clan she had come from. When her tale of adventure was over, Raven seemed to ponder the idea before giving a small smile.

"I don't think you're a disgrace…" He finally replied after a moment. "Everyone does a few bad things here and there, and I think I understand why you did what you did. You did it because you were protecting everything you held dear to yourself, including those you called your brothers…" Hollyleaf nodded and Raven seemed to smile out of pride. "Well, either way, I think it doesn't matter now. You seem to be different than that cat who killed another, and I don't think I've given you any reason to kill me."

"Except being near me," Hollyleaf gave a very soft purr of amusement.

Raven rolled his eyes. "Now don't be mean to me, I met you once before. I'm still curious about you, I want to know you a little more."

Hollyleaf gave a small smile towards him.

"I guess I can start with my name, then," she replied. "My name is Hollyleaf."

"That's a wonderful name…"

 _ **Linebreak**_

When the pawsteps had finally arrived, the night was coming closer and closer, the moon beginning to rise. Holly felt a familiar scent reach her nose, one she hadn't realized she missed since the young tom had left her den so long ago. She took a deep breath and raised her gaze from the pool that lapped at her front paws.

Bringing her gaze around slowly, she saw a black silhouette with shining, dark yellow eyes in the fog, watching her with hatred lying behind them.

"Darkfire…" Holly whispered as she slowly stood on all four paws. "Darkfire… You've grown so much…"

"How would you know?" the tom growled, the growl filled with the lust for a fight, one Hollyleaf knew all too well. "You aren't my mother."

The words stung Holly fiercely, as if a lion had torn her in half. "I gave birth to you," Holly replied with as smooth a voice as she could muster the courage to do. "I did many… many terrible things, Darkfire, and for that, I'm sorry… I'm proud of what you've done, you did as I had asked, but I must ask you to stop…"

"No," Darkfire growled, Holly flinching and finding her tail flicking across the surface of the water, as if asking Starclan to help her. "My real mother would never be proud of me for anything. I tried for moons but all she looked at was how good my brother was, it was always about him, wasn't it? He was the faster fighter, he was the stronger one… Well I hurt him, I defeated him, and I am stronger than any clan cat could ever hope to become."

Holly couldn't see Darkfire's mouth move, it was as if he was speaking through another medium of some sort. The silhouette hadn't even given a shiver, but there was a glint near the bottom of it. Claws had slid out and scraped the stone by the Moonpool, Holly standing as tall as she could. A part of her was afraid that she would die here, Holly didn't want to die, but it was her son who was more important than her now. She had to finish what she started.

"No, Darkfire," Holly responded. "I was always proud of you, I wanted to push you to become stronger. We both know I believe in the strength of rising over your struggles. I still believe that now, and I have realized what I have been struggling to see. My struggle, my challenge, was a test not of strength, but of heart and mind. I destroyed everything I vowed to protect, or tried to. Now I have destroyed even you, you are not the son I remember…" Holly remembered the day that Darkfire and Dewstep returned with the news that Darkfire attacked a rogue on their territory. She had been proud then, but now she was realizing how naive, how stupid she had been to not have seen her son becoming something else. Darkfire had become something of evil. "You are my son, Darkfire, and I will always be proud of you… I'll be more proud if you turn away from this path, help me find Sol. We can take him down, he is the real threat to the clans… Please, Darkfire-"

"I've heard enough," Darkfire's shadowed voice growled and echoed around the Moonpool. Holly slowly went into a defensive crouch, not knowing what Darkfire would do next. "I don't care about that, you are not my mother. My mother told me to kill you because you are not her."

 _What…?_ Holly shivered and then her ears flicked in realization. _That cat from the Moonstone… Has Darkfire been in contact with her?_ Holly's tail flicked across the surface of the water again and she kept her gaze steadily on Darkfire's yellow eyes. "I can't let you continue… if the only way to free you from the pain I inflicted, then I have to take you out of this world," Holly spoke, her voice cracking at one point, to which Darkfire laughed.

"No one can defeat me in battle," he spoke as he padded forward.

 _Yes… someone can,_ Holly thought, knowing almost every move Darkfire had at his disposal. He probably learned a few extra moves in his time with the clans, and if he was in contact with that she-cat, then Holly knew he would have some devastating moves. _I have one chance… I'm so, so sorry, Darkfire… If I had another choice, I would do it, but if you won't listen to reason, then… I guess this is it._

"You'll do fine…" Firestar's voice whispered once more into her ear, soft and warm.

 _I will do what I can,_ Holly kept the thought to herself and unsheathed her claws. She still didn't have many, a scar from clawing her way out of the tunnels when they collapsed.

"Time to die," Darkfire growled with a sinister grin that made Holly want to cower, but she wasn't going to stand down. Darkfire was trained well, there was no way she was going to let him run amok doing the bidding of some Starclan cat who - at this point - didn't seem to be with Starclan at all.

The black cat lurched forward with almost blinding speed, but Holly made one swipe and her claws slashed down his face. In one move, Darkfire had cried out in pure pain, blood dripping down his face as he turned around, his right eye split open as Holly watched him now. Rage seemed to consume the tom, his body come back towards her with blinding speed. Holly ducked under the swipe of his paw, only to find his other slice deeply into her shoulder and knock her into the rock wall, her body rolling several times before she did hit it.

Her breath was knocked out of her and Holly struggled to breathe for a moment, slowly standing and feeling blood leak down her shoulder and down her leg. Blood splatters covered the rocks and she felt a pang of regret.

 _I'm sorry the battle had to be here, Starclan…_

"Don't worry about it," Firestar's voice came back. "You aren't finished yet, this is your fight, so keep going. I put my faith in you…"

 _That's nice to hear…_ Holly smiled slightly, standing tall and placed her paws in an attack position. "I'm sorry for every crime I committed to you, Darkfire," she meowed, keeping her voice strong now. "I hope that when this ends, we can come to terms in the afterlife, we can talk then… We can talk now, Darkfire-"

"There is nothing we need to talk about!" Darkfire growled. "This isn't about you anymore! This is about me, and nothing you do or say will change my mind. I'm doing this for my benefit, I will not be controlled by the likes of my mother. So let us finish this!"

As Darkfire was finishing, Holly cut across the rocky surface and jumped, landing squarely on his back.

"What-?" Darkfire tried to throw her off but Hollyleaf began to cut and slice, feeling blood covering her paws as she tore and tore at the tom's pelt. Tears streamed down her face as the one yellow eye looked up at her in pain. It wasn't a physical pain she could see, it was emotional, and she almost stopped. Biting down harder, she closed her eyes until she felt a twist move, Holly feeling the full force of the rock wall again.

With another breath knocked out of her, she began to struggle once more as she felt blood drip down onto her nose. Opening her eyes, she looked up to see Darkfire's one yellow, his other looking mangled and the blood leaking down his face and dripping off his chin. That blood had landed on her nose.

In that instant, teeth flashed and came down, Holly moving her head and opening her mouth. Her tongue tasted blood and Darkfire's body shivered for a moment before he pulled away, his neck bitten deeply with blood leaking out of it. Holly sat up and weakly stood on her paws, breathing heavily as the sensation of the wind being knocked out of her was finally gone. The tom was lurching backward until he finally collapsed onto his side.

"No!"

It was a she-cat this time, and Holly turned to see a familiar she-cat with red eyes.

"You…" the she-cat turned to Holly and that same rage she saw in Darkfire was now in her. "You killed my only hope of destroying the clans and rebuilding them!" The she-cat launched herself, her red eyes a blur in the fog, Hollyleaf blinking and dodging to her left, closer to the Moonpool.

Holly realized she wasn't fast enough for this ghost cat. Whoever this was, she was far faster than Holly had ever witnessed and she felt claws start slashing at her pelt. Scarlet blood exploded onto the rock until Holly felt herself covered in her own blood. Her pelt was plastered with what had seemed to be scarlet rain, as if it had rained blood everywhere. No, this was her own blood, and Holly was gravely injured. It didn't take a medicine cat to know that under her thick fur were many cuts, more than Holly could count.

Coughing, Holly looked up at the she-cat and found only claws slicing across her nose, she falling over and feeling herself collapse entirely. Her breathing was shallow, she unable to keep up, and she knew this was the end.

 _I'm… so… sorry…_ Holly thought as the hint of another scent reached the clearing. As familiar as it was, she didn't know if she could hold on long enough to know exactly what it was…

 _ **-AN-**_

 _Hey! This is Shadow, at your service! This is my longest chapter for this story to date, clocking in at ~4300 words, and I certainly hoped you enjoyed this special chapter!  
_ _So, a very long time ago, probably two years I think it was, I started writing this story in hopes of fulfilling both the need to write and to remove this idea that I was a terrible, terrible writer. I really believed I was terrible (I still do, but not as much as before) and it took a lot of courage to continue writing this after almost 14-16 months of putting it on hiatus because my writers block had become so bad that writing was unbearable. I had an entirely different ending planned out for this story (much closer to Stormikat's original than what the story has become currently) and I decided to leave that track because of something Stormikat had said to me a very long time ago in a message or a review (I don't remember which). She had said that she was happy to see me actually rewrite the story, rather than just do a copy/paste and add a word or two to the story with no real change. I gave it a lot of thought over the past several months and decided it was better to rewrite the original ending than what I had intended._

 _I have two people to thank for this great honor to write the story, since we are coming very close to the end here. If I do write a sequel, it will be focused more into the problem with Sol (I have a few ideas, but I don't want to get too excited and do too much at one time, it is how I got into writers block in the first place). The first person I would like to thank is Stormikat, this story has helped a lot with my confidence in writing and your reviews have helped me consider even the smallest detail within my writing (yes, I did notice my grammatical mistakes, thanks for pointing that out, Stormi! I should mention I'm dyslexic, I make many grammar mistakes that I can't see unless I read through for six hours at a time! Okay… that's a bit of an overstatement, but you get my meaning!). Without Stormikat, this new twist to her story would never have existed and it has been more than a pleasure to write it!  
_ _To the second person is my girlfriend, who I will nickname Wolf for this little note (her favorite animal is wolves so it works!). Wolf has helped me through everything I've been through, and she was the one who convinced me to continue writing when I felt like giving up on it. During my hiatus, she convinced me that it wasn't permanent and that my creativity would come out eventually. She forced me to write poems and short stories until I felt in the mood to write again, and when I got my mood for writing back into the positive, I began writing this story. I actually lost the three chapters I was originally going to post in sequence due to a laptop malfunction (long story) and for now, I am forced to use a school chromebook to write and my phone to post this story._

 _This has been an overall wonderful experience, so continue to write reviews as I write out these last couple chapters! The end is nigh, dear followers! I hope you enjoy this once I finish it and I certainly hope you'll all continue to read what I post on this Fanfiction channel!_

 _-Shadow_


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The clearing had become quiet as Dewstep sat beside the medicine den, Ivypool laying down beside him and half-asleep as the moon had begun to rise in the distance. Bramblestar had been surprised that Dewstep had returned, along with Ivypool, who was standing beside him when they reentered the camp. When Bramblestar questioned him, Dewstep gave the best answers he could.

"Weren't you going to go with your mother?" Dewstep shook his head. "Are you going to harm the clan any further?" Dewstep replied with what felt like a sorrowful glance towards Ivypool, shaking his head again. A few more questions about his mother required more words than Dewstep could speak before his throat bothered him further.

It hadn't been long until Jayfeather called Dewstep over to check his wounds, and Jayfeather had spent the last few days fussing that Dewstep continued to leave the den and the safety of the camp constantly.

"I don't mind that you remain in camp, but can you limit yourself to the camp?" Jayfeather growled as he exited his den from behind Dewstep.. "I need my senses to be checking on that wound, I would prefer you don't open it up again because you make some stupid mistake!" The blind cat made his way around and blinked a bit. "Sorry for being so loud," he meowed a bit quieter, since Ivypool had fallen asleep against Dewstep. "Is she fussing over you too?"

Dewstep blinked a bit and brought his gaze to the pretty she-cat, his tail curling around her gently. He nodded in response, keeping his voice in case he had anything important to say later. "Well, let me put a bit more cobweb on it, and is it hurting further or has the wound been feeling better?" Jayfeather asked as he started to place a poultice on the wound and then wrapped the cobweb around it. Dewstep shook his head once more, Jayfeather nodding a bit and slowly.

 _How does he know when I move my head?_ Dewstep blinked after a moment, forgetting that the warrior was blind.

"Anyways," Jayfeather continued to speak as he stood and looked around the clearing. His gaze was filled with pain, his tail gently flicking across the dust that settled outside his den. "I need to get some rest, tomorrow night is the gathering, and I suggest you get ready as well. A part of me thinks Bramblestar is going to bring you anyways, as a way to tell the clan that you are trustworthy." Jayfeather brought his pale blue eyes back to Dewstep, who looked back down at Ivypool. "It will be a long time before the clan accepts you for who you are, but even I can see that you are one of the best cats this clan could ever ask for. You'll be a wonderful warrior, some of us are just too stubborn to believe anything else." Jayfeather smiled a bit. "I see more than they do, and remember, I'm blind."

 _Not many cats make jokes about their physical problems… I'm glad to see that someone can make fun of his own blindness,_ Dewstep smiled a bit and didn't move further. As Jayfeather padded back into the den with quiet pawsteps, he only brought his gaze up to the stars that had slowly begun to appear in the sky.

 _Come get it!_ Darkfire's little kit voice echoed in Dewstep's mind.

 _That's not fair!_ Dewstep had replied as he tried to run, only to stumble over his own pawsteps.

Trying not to laugh, Dewstep quickly placed a paw against his own mouth. Even if his brother was missing from the clans, he could remember all the good times they had. From kits to apprentices, Dewstep could remember finally being able to get the moss ball from his larger brother when he learned that his best ally was speed. A small body like his own could be devastated by heavier attacks, like any from Darkfire, but his speed was what helped him dodge everything that came close to touching him.

 _I was literally a whisker from death,_ Dewstep thought as he felt an itching sensation from his throat. _And yet, here I am, with the best she-cat in the world and a clan to be living in… This group has become my real family…_

"How're you feeling?"

The voice made Dewstep jump and he looked to his right to see a large, dark cat. At first, he thought it was Darkfire, the eyes almost yellow enough to look like him. Then, as the features slowly came together, Dewstep realized it was Raven. Nodding, he tightened his tail around Ivypool, who groaned in her half-sleepy state, more asleep than Dewstep may have realized.

"Dewstep… I'm really happy that you forgave me, but I think it is time for me to take my leave…" Raven seemed awkward and he had curled his tail around his paws. "But that doesn't mean I'm leaving you permanently, of course!" Raven blinked a bit and looked up, as if he needed to explain himself. A soft purr escaped Dewstep's throat, not hurting as bad as it would have a few days earlier.

"Mouse… brain…" Dewstep smiled a bit and nodded, leaning forward and licking Raven's shoulder out of respect.

Raven blinked and smiled a bit as he sat beside Dewstep. "I'll visit every few moons, I promise…" Raven mumbled, pressing his nose between Dewstep's ears. "I'm sorry for never being there when you were growing up, but I'm more than happy to take responsibility for my absence. I'll be operating in Tanglewood with my own group of rogues, we have decided to create our own clan." He sighed a bit and stretched his shoulders. "I only hope your mother will be there to see it," Raven meowed as he looked up towards the sky.

"I'm sure… she will…" Dewstep looked up towards the sky as well, finding himself mesmerized by the stars. Hollyleaf would surely love to go back with Raven to Tanglewood when she was finished doing her mission.

 _I will fix everything I began…_ Hollyleaf had said before, and Dewstep suppressed a shiver.

 _Hopefully that doesn't mean killing Darkfire,_ Dewstep thought as he kept his gaze on the sky. _All he wanted was acceptance, but it is the acceptance of parents that he really wanted… Without Raven, it seems that Hollyleaf never gave enough to make Darkfire happy. I wish there was something we could do to help him, but Jayfeather will keep me confined to camp with everything he has. As much as I would like to leave…_

A bright white streak stretched across the sky, Dewstep blinking a bit as it disappeared in less than a few heartbeats. _A falling star…_ Dewstep smiled a bit, liking the sight as another star streaked across the sky, disappearing as fast as the other. _This is wonderful,_ Dewstep thought before he felt another itching sensation against his shoulder.

Something bothered Dewstep now as he realized he felt as if he was forgetting something important. _What was it…?_ Dewstep thought, trying to remember but finding nothing but the gathering he had been to came to mind. _The gathering… something happened at the gathering that I need to remember…_ Dewstep bit his lip as he watched another star streak across the sky, heading in the same direction as the others. It was repeating the same process, a few times there were two stars, but it was mostly one.

 _Falling stars will lead the way…_

Dewstep blinked as he slowly stood up, his mouth parted open slightly as Raven glanced at him. "Something wrong, Dewstep…?" Raven asked, his head tilted as Dewstep didn't answer.

 _Blood will make the pools of the moon run red…_

 _Falling stars will lead the way…_

Dewstep slowly pulled away and realized that he had to do something, anything. _Follow the stars!_ Dewstep thought as he looked back to the medicine den. _Sorry, Jayfeather, but this is something I have to do!_ He turned towards the entrance and found Raven's tail touching his shoulder.

"Where are you going? I heard what Jayfeather said, you're supposed to be confined to camp until your wound is better…"

Dewstep glanced at him for a moment, Raven's eyes filled with worry over Dewstep now. _I'm sorry I can't tell you, I wouldn't anyways but… It is better that I remain silent now than before._ Dewstep pulled away and took a deep breath, then bolted out of the camp, looking up through the trees and following the falling stars. They headed towards the Windclan border at an angle, and Dewstep didn't take long to find himself following the stream heading up a small hill.

He knew that this was far more important than anything he had witnessed before, everything would be here. Dewstep knew this was the place where everything would fall into place as the moon began to rise further away from the horizon.

The reek of blood hit his nose and Dewstep slowed down, almost to a halt but didn't care. In the sky above, the stars had stopped streaking across the black vastness. This was it, everything Dewstep had learned would come out here.

"-was soon at hand," a she-cat's voice reached above the rocks, one that Dewstep didn't recognize. "But you had to go and kill my champion, didn't you… _Hollyleaf?_ "

Dewstep rose over a few rocks, using his size to hide himself as he heard his mother's name. There was a she-cat standing over a black-furred cat, whose blood was leaking into the pool that had been shining since the dawn of the clans. Dewstep kept his gaze where it was, watching the two.

The black she-cat looked up with weak green eyes and hissed in defiance.

"He was not… yours to control!" Hollyleaf growled, the she-cat hissing back and grabbing Hollyleaf by the scruff and dragging her closer to the pool. The black she-cat tried to struggle but the blood loss had made her weaker to the she-cat. Dewstep's eyes widened and he bolted out, not going to let his mother die in the pool of water.

"No!" Dewstep tried to shout, only air leaving his breath and he tackled the she-cat, making her fly across the rocky surface that bordered the pool. He breathed heavily, since he had made a long run to get here, not expecting to fight.

The she-cat growled and slowly stood up, she was weakened by the blow and her red eyes crossed Dewstep's. "You…" she growled before grinning darkly. "You have never understood, have you?" Dewstep continued breathing, he would let her talk until he was satisfied he had his breath back. "I am the she-cat who once held the clans by the throat many moons ago," the she-cat padded forward until she was within swiping distance of Dewstep. Hollyleaf had collapsed again, unable to stand on her own from her weakened state. "I actually brought the clans together," she growled. "I used to be a _-star_ to, but Starclan told me I didn't follow their rules like I should have! The warrior code needs to be restructured, rebuilt!"

"Oh?" Dewstep gasped, taking another breath before speaking. "I didn't ask who you… were. I don't really care."

The she-cat seemed taken aback as Dewstep grinned. "You should know your history, have the clans really forgotten about one such as I? I am Featherstar!" The name wasn't familiar and Dewstep raised the fur above his right eye in confusion. "Of course you don't remember me, the moons have been so long that I bet Starclan has even forgotten," she growled and smacked Dewstep with a paw, incredible speed behind her muscles and knocking him into the rock. "I once had the entire clans, even Skyclan, by the throat with everything I had. I gave them a new structure, but before I could give it to them, one of my allies betrayed me and started a war! It wasn't long before they invaded the Skyclan camp, where I was speaking to their leader at the time. I was caught in the middle, and I knew there was nothing more I could do that day, within that lifetime."

Featherstar growled slowly, pressing her claws against the other side of Dewstep's throat. "I wanted to fix the clans, because all their infighting was insulting to our warrior code. Starclan have made the clans become a decaying body, and I thought Tigerstar would bring them back to glory. No, I lived in the Dark Forest with him for a very long time and I realized he wasn't in it for the clans. He was in it for revenge, well so am I. But I don't want revenge on the clans, I want revenge on Starclan for forcing the clans to become this decaying body!" Her tail flicked as she lifted her claws.

In that instant, Dewstep saw his life flash before his eyes until a blur streaked above him and Featherstar's weight was knocked off of him. Taking a deep breath, he watched as that same black streak was knocked back and landed close to the water. The moon was starting to reflect at the edge of the pool, stained red from the blood that littered the arena. Hollyleaf had gasped and was almost still now, she had attacked Featherstar.

"Stay out of this!" the she-cat growled and turned back to Dewstep. "I used your brother to destroy those who broke the code, to prove to Starclan that the code needed to be destroyed and reconstructed from the flames of the dead. Now I stand before you, a real member of the new Starclan, to command you to obey!"

Dewstep felt as if this sudden speech was just that… sudden, he didn't care who this cat was or if they came from Starclan or the Dark Forest.

"Look…" Dewstep coughed a bit. "As nice as your speech is… and all… I don't think you… understand the code… anymore… You're long… forgotten by the clans… And this Skyclan… is nothing I know of." Dewstep took a deep breath as he watched the she-cat's shoulders slump, her will slowly becoming eroded. "The code is not… broken. It is better… than it ever has been…"

"No!" she growled, as if all her strength instantly returned and she streaked across the blood-stained rock. Dewstep tensed his muscles and prepared for the first attack, which he quickly responded by rolling his body to the side and flicking his tail over her eyes, fluffing his tail and blinding her. The she-cat screeched in fury and tried to hit him with blinded eyes now, only her attacks met nothing but air.

"It is time for you to be put to rest," Dewstep sighed a bit and began swiping his claws into the she-cat's body in several areas. Blood came out of the already dead cat, spraying against the rock and staining it more with the scars of the past being repeated into today. By the time he was done, Featherstar had almost as many cuts as Hollyleaf had. "Sure," Dewstep spoke, keeping his voice light to avoid more damage to his throat. "The clans have done… questionable… things, to say the… least. But they have become… stronger from their struggles…" Dewstep took a deep breath as Featherstar, the unknown leader to today's cats, took several steps back. "I wanted to change… them too, but that's… now how it works… Your time was long ago… Just sit back and… watch the clans from a distance… Leave us be, your explanations… are useless… after everything you've done…"

Featherstar growled and tried to swipe, far slower than before.

Dewstep ducked easily, the attack could be seen a fox-length away from even the smallest kit. "Especially… after you tore… my family apart." Dewstep leaped forward and thrust his teeth into the she-cat's throat. She cried out in pure rage, trying to throw him off, but Dewstep rolled and took her along, then let go. Her body splashed in the water, only a few bubbles rising as the water fell still and darkened with even more blood.

Breathing heavily, he stood up and almost stumbled, then turned to see Hollyleaf's eyes were paling. With a fresh strength, he ran over. "Mother!" he tried to cry, but as before, it came out more as air than an actual voice. Dewstep quickly tried to look around, to find something to stop her bleeding.

"Don't be scared…" Hollyleaf's voice slowly came from the body, her eyes closing as her tail curled around him. "I'm very proud of you… Be nice to your mate, you hear me…? I swear I will haunt you if you do something stupid…"

"What about Raven?" Dewstep sniffled and pressed his nose against the fur of his mother's neck. "Don't leave… please… we have so… much to talk about…"

Hollyleaf seemed to laugh softly, she licking between his ears. "I'm sure we will meet again, my son… For now, be happy with what you have… I did this to save you the trouble, but I guess Starclan had plans for you to come here already… I'm sure I will go to the Dark Forest, I have made many mistakes and I feel it is best…"

"No…" Dewstep whispered, able to speak more with just air than his voice. "I was told that you would be able to join the ranks of Starclan if you tried to fix your mistakes… That you had one chance to do it… I'm sure you did…"

There was a slight pause but Hollyleaf only smiled and licked again. "If that is true… I'll see you in your dreams… s… soon…" Her voice slowly died away. "I… love you… Dewstep… Be good… for me…" With that, her body fell completely limp and Dewstep sniffled.

"M-Mom?" Dewstep pressed a paw against her side and realized there was no more breathing from the body. "Mom!" He felt tears stream down his face as he stayed there for a long time. Maybe it was only a few heartbeats, but it felt like the night was almost over when three cats quickly entered the rocky surface of the Moonpool. Dewstep had gone silent in mourning the passing of his mother, no scratches on his body and only his scar against his neck.

"Oh Starclan…" A voice mumbled, it was Ivypool's own. Along with her was Jayfeather and Raven, the large tom running over and trembling at Hollyleaf's body. Dewstep pulled away, letting the tom have a moment with her as he began whispering about the things they could have done together. Looking over to Ivypool, he noticed that Jayfeather seemed almost emotionless, except for the tears streaming down the sides of his muzzle as he took note of the blood that surrounded the Moonpool.

"Couldn't you have picked a different place to make this fight happen?" Jayfeather growled, his voice cracking slightly. "This is a place of power for Starclan, not for your stupid battles…" But Jayfeather seemed out of it as he went over to Dewstep. "Any injuries?"

"No…" Dewstep breathed out, his throat a bit agitated as he passed by Jayfeather, not going to answer any further questions as Ivypool ran up to him. She had tears streaming down her cheeks as well, worried for the cat she had come to love. "I'm sorry for leaving… without you…" Dewstep whispered, only to find that she buried her head into his chest and smacked his shoulder with a paw.

"Shut up…" Ivypool whispered. "Don't you ever do that again… Let me know when you're going to do something so stupid!" She began to cry into his chest and Dewstep pressed his nose between her ears before looking around. Only Hollyleaf's body remained in the clearing, there was nobody else…

 _-AN-_

 _Up last is the epilogue, this is the last full chapter for this story so I hope you all enjoy what Dewstep and Darkfire's journey has brought to your phones and computers! This has been a blast to write (and screw up several times) but the end is here. I'm sure everyone will enjoy the epilogue, which should be out within the next few days!_


	29. Epilogue

Epilogue

The cat with the scar across his neck stood outside the nursery, his worry evident from the glossy look over his pristine green eyes. Everything had fallen into place, the cries in the background making the tom worry and worry as the time continued to pass. The day had almost come to a close when the medicine cat had run over with something glittering in his gaze while the tom was hunting.

"Ivypool is having her kits," the medicine cat spoke quickly to the patrol that the tom had stood in, he blinking a bit out of surprise. "Yes, I know, she wasn't due for another week, but she is doing fine. I need to get some herbs, get over there and keep her occupied while I do so."

"Alright, Jayfeather…" the tom meowed, still in complete shock at the idea that he was having kits. As he took a deep breath, he looked to the patrol before bolting off, they not saying a thing other than smiling towards him as he took off towards the camp. When he arrived, his mind had begun racing with thoughts as he stumbled down into the clearing, almost entirely off balance. The smile had crept across the entirety of his face as he heard the cries of Ivypool, running into the nursery as he watched her in tremendous pain. He padded over and pressed a nose between her ear. "Jayfeather will be here soon, don't worry…"

When Jayfeather had returned to the camp, he kicked the tom out of the nursery. "Dewstep, it won't be long, I promise…"

Now Dewstep sat outside the nursery, pacing back and forth quietly until the cries eventually died down to a heavy breathing. Quickly sitting, he waited for the indication to come in, which Jayfeather eventually popped out of the den and sniffed around. The blind cat turned his pale gaze over to Dewstep, giving a small smile. "She's ready for you to come in… Ivypool wants to name the kits before she falls asleep," Jayfeather meowed, leaving the den and heading back towards the medicine den. The moon was high now, and Dewstep smiled a bit more.

Padding in quietly, he looked over to Ivypool, who had looked up slowly and with a soft and tired smile. She indicated with a paw for him to come over, her tail being used to keep the kits close. Each one had been suckling quietly against Ivypool.

"I wanted you to give the first name…" Ivypool mumbled, purring softly as she pressed her nose against one of the kits. Two of them were white little she-cats, the first had light brown paws and a light brown tail. The one in the middle was purely white other than her ears, which were a darker gray. One final kit lay on the opposite side of the first, this one was another she-cat, and her black fur reminded Dewstep of someone else.

Dewstep leaned down and pressed his nose to the little she-cat, the memory of the bloody body beside the Moonpool making him shiver. "Hollykit…" He whispered, Ivypool giving a soft smile towards him and licking between the ears.

"I thought you would name her that… I think this one should be Frostkit," Ivypool muttered, her paw brushing along the first of the white cats. "And because I'm tired, you can pick for the last little kit…"

There was a slight pause as Dewstep remembered what Hollyleaf had once said to him.

 _Queens normally give their kits names… if the tom is lucky, he gets to name one of his kits too…_

Dewstep gave a soft smile. _Are you watching, Hollyleaf…? I'm lucky, aren't I, to name two of my three kits…?_

"Fallingkit," Dewstep smiled a bit and Ivypool's ear flicked, though she smiled without any hesitation.

"It's a beautiful name…" she meowed quietly before resting her head. "Now leave… I'm tired and I don't want you fussing over me…" There was a purr of amusement and Dewstep rolled his eyes a bit. "Go on… You can see your beautiful kits later… Go…" Her eyes opened a moment as she smiled to Dewstep, her eyes filled with the emotion of love and happiness. They beamed happily until there was a wave of tiredness and she closed them again.

"Alright, alright," Dewstep chuckled a bit. "I'll go." He pressed his nose between her ears and licked gently, Ivypool purring softly in response, only to fall asleep in mere heartbeats. "Sweet dreams…"

Standing fully, he gave one last glance to his kits before heading to the warriors den. Dewstep stopped in the center of the clearing and looked towards the stars. One star flew across the sky with a burst of speed and Dewstep slowly smiled to himself.

"My kits will become great," Dewstep mumbled, slowly sitting down and resting his muscles. "They will be the best they can be, and they will be themselves…"

 _ **Linebreak**_

One singular black cat sat alone in the small clearing of his old home, the den dug out and his yellow, pale gaze resting on the ferns that guarded this place. It was sacred to him now, this place was his personal battlefield as he sat there. His heart hurt as he thought about his actions, everyone he had hurt in his life.

A tail brushed over a leaf, tied down to the front of his right eye. He remembered the poultice and the herbs to heal normal cuts, his eye was a different matter, so he had used what he had known to heal it. Eventually, the black cat had just removed the remains of the eye and kept the leaves over it, hoping that it would keep out infection. It was little hope that he had, but he continued to sit where he was, even as the rain started to come down.

"Who are you?"

The new voice didn't make the cat jump or anything, only sit there, staring at the den in the newfound darkness. The newest addition padded closer, growling softly, repeating his question to the black cat.

"One who has made many mistakes," the black tom kept his gaze lowered and his ears pinned back. "I have killed to get to where I am, and I have nothing to show for it but the fact that I am standing before the place I used to live in." Tears slowly fell down his left cheek from his only eye as he continued to watch the den. "Do as you wish with me…"

There was a slight pause, a tense silence the black tom didn't like.

"Is your name Darkfire, by chance?" the new cat asked.

He nodded slowly, curious as to how this cat knew who he was.

"My name is Raven," the cat meowed, his pawsteps drawing closer until they stopped right beside him. "Darkfire… I'm your father."

 _-AN-_

 _Once more, I would like to thank Stormikat for letting me rewrite this story of hers! It has been a great pleasure to rewrite and reimagine this story in this way that I've had a lot more fun writing this than I have had in a while, especially for writing in general! I have refound this passion and hope to achieve greatness with my writing! I will, of course, continue writing and I might even give a little sequel to this fresh take on Stormikat's original!_

 _For all of those who would enjoy a sequel, keep watch for a story called_ Fallingsnow's Choice _in my channel. I don't think it'll be a full-length like this story, but I might make it full length story!_

 _Also, if you haven't already, check out Stormikat's original story on her page! She has enough reviews that I'm pretty sure she will be fairly easy to find! So please check out the original, for without it, this story would never have been created!_

 _Thank you all for reading this and hopefully finding it enjoyable! Don't forget to favorite and give me an honest review for the story!_


End file.
